Night Driving Tips: How To Stay Safe

Driving at night can be packed full of dangers, even if you are an experienced driver, or a learner that is embarking on their car journey for the first time and perhaps an area that will keep you safe at night driving as a learner. That is why it is so essential that you take the time to ensure you are driving as safely as possible in low light environments.

Our guide below will provide you with our top nine road safety tips to keep you and any passengers in your car safe when driving at night.

Here Are Our Night Driving Tips in the UK

1. Reduce Your Speed

Speed limits exist for a reason, which is even more true at night. It can be hard to spot oncoming dangers such as sharp turns and other drivers in low-light environments, so you must keep your speed at a reduced speed. Check our guide on areas that have the most speed camera hotspots. In turn, this will help you react to hazards quickly and prevent the level of severity of accidents, as well as cutting down on fuel consumption in the long term.

2. Don’t Drive If You Are Tired

Before you set off for a long car journey at night, consider how tired you are. If you feel extremely fatigued, it’s always a good idea to postpone your trip and try to rest up before you set off. When you are tired, you may focus on brake lights and interior lights, which can be extremely dangerous. If you do find yourself getting tired whilst driving, pull up at a truck stop and have a break. You don’t want to fall asleep at the wheel.

3. Have Your Eyesight Checked Regularly

Having your eyesight checked regularly is an essential safety tip whether you frequently drive at night or only during daylight hours. Your eyesight is perhaps your most important tool when driving, so it’s essential to ensure you have your eyesight tested regularly. You may even need glasses when driving which may also impact when you are driving home.

4. Ensure That Your Windscreen And Windows Are Clean

A dirty or fogged-up window can be an extreme danger, especially when driving during the night. It can be far harder to spot oncoming traffic and children crossing the road if your windscreen has low visibility due to dirt and fog. Winter is especially a vulnerable and troublesome time for road users due to iced-over windscreens, be sure to clean your windscreen and check wiper fluid before driving during the night. With that in mind, granted that you effectively use your external windscreen and windows, other car essentials are also to ensure you are maximizing the efficiency of your car when driving at night.

5. Make Sure Your Headlights Are Working Properly

Due to how dark it can be on some roads at night, especially country roads, you will need to use your headlights. You should always check that your headlights are working before you set off; otherwise, you may find yourself in trouble when a ‘dark road ahead’ sign appears.

6. Use Your Full Beam Headlights When It Is Safe To Do So

When using full-beam headlights you should always be mindful of the appropriate time and place to apply them when on the road. Full beam headlights, or high beams, are designed to offer you night vision across areas of the road that have minimal lighting. However, as valuable as they are, they can also impair other road users’ vision. Therefore, they should only be used when necessary – in highly dark areas with little traffic.

7. Keep An Eye Out For Kids, Cyclists & Animals

It can be hard to spot kids, cyclists and animals in low-lit environments, especially if they’re not wearing reflective clothing. Be sure to keep an eye out for anyone crossing or using the road and keep your car at a lower speed, as this will give you more time to react to any coming danger of Kids, Cyclists, and Animals.

8. Avoid Staring Directly At The Headlights Of Oncoming Vehicles

When passing traffic at night, you will want to avoid staring directly at their headlights. Headlights can blind oncoming drivers, especially using full beam lights. This can disorient you and potentially cause serious accidents.

9. Watch For Signs Coming From Oncoming Vehicles

Always keep your eyes peeled for signs of oncoming drivers when driving during the night. Other vehicles might be giving you prior warnings, such as flashing their indicators to let you know they are oncoming. This is especially true on dark country roads!

If you are a newly qualified driver and have little nighttime driving experience and are borrowing a car to drive at night for the first time, then be sure to check our guide on temporary car insurance, or maybe you’re learning to drive and a family member or friend is giving you nighttime lessons and require temporary learner drivers insurance to drive their car. Either way, making sure you’re fully insured will help you cover yourself in case of any accidents when driving at night, as well as ensuring you keep within the law!

How to Improve Your Late Night Driving Skills

You may be wondering how to improve your late-night driving prowess without putting yourself at risk. Thankfully there are options available to you in the UK. You can book a Pass Plus test that will allow you to practice night driving and reinforce everything you already know about driving safely. Check out our guide on what you don’t learn as a learner driver and how to stay safe behind the wheel.

Night Driving Safety Tips FAQs

Can Learners Drive at Night?

If you are a learner driver, then it is entirely legal for you to drive at night.

However, as learners aren’t as familiar with the road as experienced drivers, understanding what you don’t learn as a learner is more important than what you do potentially! we would highly recommend putting as many of our nighttime driving tips into practice as possible!

Are Night Driving Glasses Helpful?

Night glasses, or anti-glare glasses, can be highly effective when driving in low-light environments as they reduce the amount of direct light reaching the eye. Driving glasses present glare from oncoming headlights which can help ensure you can see any potential dangers before they become an issue.

How do you prevent glare when driving at night?

There are a few ways to prevent glare when driving in low lit environments. A clean windscreen can help reduce light glare levels at night when driving and protect you from other cars on the road.

Can You Use Tinted Glasses When Driving At Night?

You can wear tinted glasses at night. However, they do reduce visibility in darker areas. If you plan to wear tinted glasses when driving, try to find a pair that aren’t too tinted, as this will help ensure you can spot potential hazards.

Which Lens Is Best For Night Driving?

Amber-tinted glasses are the best for driving at night as they reduce glare without lowering your overall road visibility. They also help prevent night blindness from high beams and other dazzling hazards!

Final Thoughts

To conclude, nighttime driving for drivers must never underestimate the precautions in place, especially when driving at night time as it can be more demanding. Whether you live in the city or frequent country roads, driving at night can be stressful or may even cause anxiety for the average driver out there, or even for drivers of any experience level.

However, taking into consideration all the factors presented here in our guide and by following our top safety tips; you can help minimise your chances of a severe accident and keep both you and your vehicle safe for the future. Check out driving-related guides today to help improve your safety on the road.