He 42% of traffic accidents It occurs at night, a fact that shows the risks that exist when driving during this time period, since it reduces your visual perception. We tell you the basic rules for driving at night with comfort and safety.
You must bear in mind that you receive the 90% of traffic information through your view: due to the sensation of light, visual acuity and the ability to recognize colors. These three processes are disturbed at night, since the eyesight and brain undergo greater effort to be able to act quickly and effectively in any situation.
In addition, there are other risks when driving at night. In addition to losing visual acuity and reducing your field of vision, darkness can hide dangers They are visible in daylight, so you have to drive with greater caution. The appearance of tiredness and fatigue It occurs mainly between 4 and 6 in the morning, when our alert level drops. And there are a greater number of drivers who have abused alcohol in this time slot.
Despite everything, there are people who prefer to drive at night on the lower traffic density, to drive more relaxed and to maintain a higher speed. To do this, you must be in good physical and mental condition (without fatigue or ailments), the vehicle must be in good condition and the trip must be planned in advance: know the itinerary well, the location of the rest areas, the weather conditions. , the state of the roads…
The 10 rules What you should remember if you drive at night, compiled by the European Motorists Club are:
1. Reduce speed: You must be able to completely stop the vehicle within the illumination field of the headlights. On the road, the maximum recommended speed is 90 kilometers per hour.
2. Maintain a safe distance: It should not be less than three seconds with the preceding vehicle.
3. Increase the frequency of looking in the rearview mirrors: At least, you should look every ten seconds.
4. Increase the frequency of stops: You should stop to rest your legs and clean the windows well so as not to hinder your vision.
5. At dusk, turn on the dipped headlights: At the first sign of poor vision, turn on the lights. It is key to know how to use car lights correctly.
6. Stop if symptoms of fatigue appear: Have some energy food or drink.
7. Stop if symptoms of drowsiness appear: Rest for about 20 minutes and drink some coffee or stimulating drink. If you are very tired, don’t hesitate to get some sleep.
8. Use high beams if possible: On roads where there is no possibility of dazzling other vehicles, use high beams instead of dipped beams, this will increase your nighttime perception.
9. Remove high beams when overtaking: So that there is no risk of glare, if you come across another vehicle, you must turn off the high beams and turn on the dipped beams.
10. Reduce the intensity of the instrument panel light: The more light there is inside, the worse it looks outside.
