How To Drive Safely At Night And During The Fall

After a summer of vigorous off-road adventures, one* Clean and check your headlights regularly. Headlight
headlight beam on Stan's SUV strayed across to thedirt or misalignment can reduce the distance a driver
shoulder of the far lane. The other beam lit up the treecan detect objects at night by about thirty percent.
line on the right shoulder. Which didn't present much of* Get your headlights aligned during a regular
a problem in the summer, but the days were gettingmaintenance stop. If you can't get to a technician, the
shorter now and Stan spent more time driving at night.National Safety Council suggests the following steps:
But who has time to have his headlights aligned? Other-You need 35-40 feet of flat or constantly sloped
cars could see him coming, and he had enough light todriveway.
see almost anything in his path ... except maybe that-Shine your low beams on a garage door two to three
shadowy animal crossing the road at dusk on rain slickfeet away.
pavement. After Stan ran off the road dodging the-Outline the bright spots with a soft pencil or tape.
animal, Stan finally took the time to get his headlights-Back the car about 25 feet from the door. The top of
aligned.the low beams should shine no higher than the top of
Fall driving presents a variety of obstacles, and morethe marks on the door or lower than the center of the
drivers die from September through November thanmarked circle. If you have two headlights, the high
during the winter months of December throughbeams are also aimed.
February. Slick roads, foggy mornings, and roaming-If you have four headlights, aim the low beams first.
wildlife are just some of the increased hazards.Adjust the high beams until the center of the high is at
You must also contend with less daylight and morningthe top of the low beam.
and evening sun glare.Seasonal Hazards
Driving In The Dark* To minimize the glare problems at sunrise and sunset,
Everyone sees less well at night. In fact, you are threeuse your visor, and wear sunglasses if necessary.
times as likely to be involved in a fatal crash at night asNever wear sunglasses or tinted glasses at night.
during daylight hours. Keep these tips in mind as the* Be wary of drivers who are driving into a glare at
seasons change.your back. Give yourself plenty of room to come to a
* Less light means slow down Drive below the speedcontrolled stop.
limit and increase your following distance.* Turn on your headlights whenever you wonder if it's
* Take curves slower, and never overdrive yourdark enough to use headlights. It will help you see and
headlights. Be sure you can stop if something suddenlybe seen.
appears in the roadway.* Clean your windshield inside and out, especially if you
* Use high beams as much as possible on highwaysare a smoker. Smoke can cloud your windows and
and unlighted streets. Remember, though, low beamsdiffuse light.
are mandatory if you're within 500 feet of another* Keep paper towels or a rag handy in the interior of
vehicle or in fog. Note: Low beams lose their efficiencyyour car.
at speeds above 40 mph.* Keep your wipers clean and new. Streaks make
* One of the greatest dangers of night driving isglare worse. Check the washing fluid often.
sudden light from street lights, neon signs, wet* To avoid skids in rainy weather, slow down. If you do
pavements and approaching cars. Try to look awayskid, steer in the direction you want the front of the
from glare. Use the lines or edge of the pavement oncar to go.
your right side to help guide you.* As soon as temperatures start diving into the 30s,
* Don't try to "out-glare" a vehicle that does not switchslow down before crossing a bridge.
to low beams. Be the first to be courteous. Retaliation* Deer and other wildlife are active in the fall. If a
for bad manners only results in two blinded drivers.collision is unavoidable, slow down to reduce the
* Take special care on poorly lit, rural roads.impact. Stay under control.
Preventive Maintenance