Night Driving - Useful Tips to have a safe journey.

[mclaren1885]

I love night driving for a lot of reasons. But one reason that outweighs all is the fact that you don't have drunk pedestrians crossing a highway at 1am nor will you find bikers swaying all over the road or trying to cross a highway without looking at either sides.

Many people think that night driving is quite dangerous and stressful. For someone like me, its a boon given that the traffic is less and you have lesser idiots to deal with on the roads at nights.

The idea of enjoying night drives was something I learnt from a very young age (say 8-10) when dad used to do frequent night drives between Bangalore/Hubli/Chennai/Madanapalli. And over the years, I prefer traveling out of town only at night times.

Here are some tips I have learnt over the years from watching dad/friends drive, that have greatly helped me with night driving.

1. Always keep your windshield free of scratches. A clean windshield reduces glare from on coming lights.

2. Make sure your wipers are always in good condition and your windshield wiper tank is always full. Usually, a majority of the scratches on the windshield are due to poorly maintained wiper blades.

3. Never use your wipers to clean the glass that is smeared with dead insects. It not only leaves behind stains, but puts scratches on the glass as well. Best thing is to pour water on the windscreen and wipe it with newspaper.

Newspaper is the BEST tool to clean a windshield, not many people realize that. So always remember to stack up some newspapers in your car when traveling out of town.

4. Make sure you have good headlights and they are properly aligned. If need be, upgrade to a higher wattage bulb. Key to night driving is being able to see as far ahead as possible. And a good way to start is by having good headlights.

5. Make sure you clean your headlamp casing too. Usually it picks up a lot of dust, muck, insects too.

6. Another key factor most people forget is to get their eyesight checked. I have done that mistake too. Never realized I had an eyesight problem that was hampering my night vision. With corrected vision, I can see the roads more clear upto 25%. That in itself makes a huge difference.

7. When driving on 2-lane highways, try to drive as much as possible in low beam, specially if you are following a car or if there is on-coming traffic. Use high beam when there is no vehicle in front of you for some distance.

8. I have heard a lot of people complain saying that the headlights from the on-coming traffic blinds them. The key here is NOT to look at the headlights of the vehicle traveling in the opposite direction to you. When the vehicle is at a distance, always notice the left edge of the road to see which direction it is going in and how the road condition is (looking ahead is the key here). Look down at the road, not at the vehicle in front of you. And with time you will realize that oncoming lights are no longer an issue. The key here is JUDGMENT.

9. Always flash a couple of times when you are overtaking a vehicle. Its preferred to not use the horn during the night times. Flashing works brilliantly on the highways at nights. The key is to let the vehicle you are going to overtake be aware of your intentions and your presence.

10. Avoid switching on interior lights while driving at night. It not only causes glare on the windscreen, but also causes stress to your eyes.

11. Switch the RVM to prismatic/night mode to prevent the glare from the headlamps of vehicles behind you. This helps a lot.

12. And for Christs sake use your ORVMs to eliminate blind spots.

13. During rains/foggy conditions stick to using low beams with fog lamps on. Using high beams in foggy conditions only worsens the visibility.

14. Make it a point to switch on your headlights during twilight. It might not help you see the road any better, but will make your presence aware to people coming from the opposite direction.

15. From personal experience, I would say roll down the windows every now and then and get some fresh air if you are the types who loves AC. AC usually de-hydrates you and puts you to sleep. Also make sure you drink a lot of fluids.

16. If you are driving up/down a ghat section always flash lights while negotiating a sharp turn.

17. If you stop your car somewhere, ensure to keep the blinkers/hazard lights on. Its a good practice to keep your hazards on during heavy rains or foggy conditions. Orange light has better visibility than the rear tail/brake lights.

18. Get adequate rest before driving at night. Typically the most dangerous time to drive at nights is between 3-5 am. But once you get used to it, it really isn't that much of a problem. If in case you are sleepy, ALWAYS make it a point to pull over and get some sleep. At times even a power-nap of 15-20 mins makes a huge difference.

19. Make it a point to use the de-fogger from time to time to keep your windshield from fogging up due to temperature difference on either sides of the windscreen.

20. Listen to some good music. Always helps in keeping you from dozing off if you have sleepy passengers in the car.

21. Chewing gum is again a good habit while driving at nights.

22. Did you know you can maintain better average speeds at night than during the day time on GQs thanks to the lesser traffic? And you get better FE too due to the cooler engine operating temperatures? And your brakes & tyres wear lesser too thanks to the cooler temperatures.

23. Understand what the lane markers indicate. Lane markers are the best indication of how the road is ahead of you. Never overtake between two solid lines.

24. Carry a torch in the car always, it really comes in handy when you least expect.

25. If you are driving in the rain on the GQ, try to avoid taking the right lane around corners (specially right handers). You will usually find stagnant water which can lead to aquaplaning.

26. If you fall asleep while driving, please stop and take a nap. Or wash your face and have a coffee or tea. It is not worth risking your life trying to beat sleep.

The most important criteria while driving at nights is ANTICIPATION and JUDGMENT. And both come with practice. But the most important factor is that ONE MUST NOT DRIVE WHEN HE THINKS HE IS SLEEPY. I have been following most of these tips on the highways and till date have never faced an issue. And with each passing day, I love driving at nights even more.

I might have forgotten some tips, so please feel free to pen them down so that it will benefit all of us here at Gearheads.

[kairalee]

Many people think that night driving is quite dangerous and stressful. For someone like me, its a boon given that the traffic is less and you have lesser idiots to deal with on the roads at nights.

Count me as one of them, If you remember mclaren1885, we've had a long discussion on this topic and that evening, I was almost converted to someone who believes in night driving...and now this thread. I dont need anymore convincing after I have read this. Great thread mclaren1885. Thanks for starting this.

[shishirbn]

Waiting for this topic to come up from almost a year. SO finally it comes up in the forum. Good one Rahul.

[spartan]

Well, I am still against night driving.

Why? Because Indians love humps!
I was travelling to Hubli/Sirsi using the great GQ. I was shocked to come across multiple unmarked such obstructions. I am sure I would have missed them at night and would have been airborne

Funnily enuf, I preferred travelling at night when I was in US/UK!
I guess, its just the unpredictability of the Indian Terrain which keeps me away from uncharted roads at night..

What compounds this issue?
Naxalites, robbers (I am sure we have lots of such stories in the trip threads), dogs, cats, cow, sheep, drunk , morons, the lonely cyclist and the list goes on!
I forgot about the potholes and the great road surface.
e.g. The road frm Krishnagiri to Pondy: how many of us will be willing to do that at night?

So, I remain..a strict day time highway driver.

[kvk]

With corrected vision, I can see the roads more clear upto 25%. That in itself makes a huge difference.

does it mean you still can't see 75% after the correction

by the by.. Thanks for bringing this up.. I wanted to bring this up sometime since I am planning to do night drives more than day drives..

I have a very stupid question..

At times I have seen that when I overtake I put the right indicator and then after overtaking I put the left indicator indicating that I am coming into your lane. I assume this is a correct procedure

Also I have seen that when you want to overtake you dip/flash the headlights and the vehicle ahead puts his right indicator.. The doubt I have is.. whether is he trying to come to the right lane for overtaking another vehicle or he is indicating me to go ahead and overtake.

[kairalee]

e.g. The road frm Krishnagiri to Pondy: how many of us will be willing to do that at night?

After last week's experience I had on that road, I wouldn't do that even in the day.

[spartan]

After last week's experience I had on that road, I wouldn't do that even in the day.

Ohhh yeah!
On my way back, I actually had to take the ECR/Chennai route.
I am sure my car's alignment is off by now, specially by the way I attacked most of the potholes.
I just flew over most of them at 70-80 kays

[bala4567]

Nice topic mclaren1885.

[shishirbn]

I am not able to control what Suresh and Spartan have mentioned about that road.

Even I am against this night drive only because of what spartan has mentioned.

What compounds this issue?
Naxalites, robbers (I am sure we have lots of such stories in the trip threads), dogs, cats, cow, sheep, drunk , morons, the lonely cyclist and the list goes on!

along with these the humps. In daytime itself these humps are not visible then what will happen in the night.

Don't want to take risk with family onboard. That is the reason I try to start early in the morning say around 4am if it is a long trip so that when before people wake up in the morning you would have covered 60-70% of the distance.

[pubz]

Wow! i prefer day driving usually! but just for this threads sake i'll try night driving whenever i am ready