Our top 4 tips for driving at night safely and effectively

Driving at night can be quite a difficult task, as it requires slightly different skills when compared to driving during the day. The darkness and reduced visibility can make it harder to see the road ahead, while the glare from oncoming headlights can be distracting and disorienting. However, with the right precautions and techniques, you’ll be able to drive safely and effectively at night.

Here at Intack Self Drive, our vehicle hire services have been used for a variety of different reasons, and you may well need them for night-time driving. So, whether you’re driving your own vehicle or you’re planning on taking advantage of our incredible daily hire or Flexi hire services, here are a few top tips that’ll keep you safe if you’re planning on doing any driving at night.

Ensure your headlights are working properly

One of the most important things you can do to drive safely at night is to make sure your headlights are in good working order. (Now, obviously this isn’t something you’ll have to worry about with our vehicles here at Intack Self Drive, as all of our rental vehicles are serviced and maintained to avoid any technical issues – especially components as critical as lights. However, it’s still good practice for driving in general.)

Check your headlights regularly to make sure they are clean, aimed correctly, and functioning properly. If you notice any issues with your headlights, get them fixed as soon as possible. One of the most common issues that people face when it comes to headlights is a dead bulb. These are relatively easy to replace on your own, but if you’re unsure what to do, then we’d always advise turning to a professional to fix it for you.

Slow down

Driving at night requires you to adjust your speed to match the reduced visibility. Slow down and maintain a safe following distance to allow yourself plenty of time to react to any obstacles or hazards on the road. At night in particular, it’s far more difficult to see potential hazards such as pedestrians or animals in the road. It can be similarly tricky to discern other road hazards such as potholes, flooding or even snow, which can be an issue in the colder months.

Use your full beams selectively

This is a fairly obvious point but it’s still worth mentioning! Using your full beams can improve visibility when it’s dark but the glare from them can also blind other drivers. So, only use your full beams when you are on a dark road with no oncoming traffic. When other vehicles approach, switch to your low beams to avoid blinding the other driver. By the way, that’s a big part of the reason why it’s also illegal to use your full beam headlights when driving on the motorway, so stick to headlights if you’re planning a long journey!

Stay alert

Driving at night can be tiring, so make sure you are well-rested before getting behind the wheel. If you start to feel drowsy while driving, pull over and take a break. Of course, if you’re on a long haul journey, then you’ll want to take regular breaks every couple of hours, and the official Highway Code advice states that if you’ve been awake for more than 18 hours that you pull over for the night and get some sleep. This is to stop you from getting into an accident as a result of fatigue.

So, driving at night requires a little extra care and attention compared to driving in the day, but by following these tips, you’ll be much better set to drive safely and effectively after dark. Remember, safety should always be your top priority when behind the wheel, and if you ever need some temporary wheels, we can help.

All of our rental vehicles here at Intack Self Drive can be rented through daily hire, or our outstanding Flexi hire service, so wherever your intended destination, we’ll have a vehicle that suits your requirements. We’ve got almost half a century of car hire, minibus hire, and van hire experience under our belts here at Intack, and we’re always here to help. Ready to get started? You can browse the best hire deals right here on our site, or give us a call on 0125457811!