10 tips for driving at night

Darkness has its pitfalls - reduced visibility, stress, drowsiness, etc. - and poses a good challenge to car drivers, possibly as much so as rain and snow. It's harder to distinguish movements and obstacles, assess distances and react in time. Our vehicle's headlights have a limited range, and those of others threaten to dazzle us.

It's no coincidence that we're addressing the issue now, because with the days getting shorter and the return to standard time just around the corner, driving in the dark is becoming increasingly common. No wonder the number of accidents is higher than at other times of the year.

Adapting your work schedule, family obligations and hobbies is often impossible, but adapting your driving makes sense! Need some tips on how to drive safely at night, or at least in the dark? We've compiled a few below.

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1. Make sure your headlights are clean and in good working order. Similarly, keep your windscreen clean and clear: dirt and cracks reduce visibility and can cause eyestrain.

2. Use high beams whenever necessary. It's mandatory to switch back to low beam at least 150 meters before passing another vehicle, when following another vehicle or when there's sufficient street lighting, for example in town or on a busy highway. The law even provides for a fine of $60 to $100 for offenders.

3. Turn off lights in the passenger compartment to avoid glare and distraction. As for dashboard brightness, in town, it can be set to a higher intensity. On a road with little or no light, it's advisable to set it to the minimum to avoid straining your eyes.

4. Use every street and road as if for the first time. Pay attention to road conditions and increase your distance to the vehicle in front. It's always harder to judge distances at night.

5. Reduce your speed to better anticipate obstacles, especially as your feet will take longer to activate the pedals if you're wearing boots or bulky warm shoes.

6. Give up overtaking when in doubt, because at night, a vehicle coming towards you seems further away than it really is.

7. In rural areas, beware of wild animals that take the opportunity to wander along roadsides and sometimes cross them. Signs to this effect should be taken even more seriously.

8. Fatigue is a sneaky enemy. Take the time to eat and drink well before hitting the road, and don't hesitate to take breaks along the way, even a 20-30 minute nap. On long journeys, stops every two hours are recommended.

9. Forget your damned cell phone! Period.

10. Finally, keep some bright clothes in the trunk of your car that you can put on in the event of a vehicle breakdown. And if such a situation should arise, try to park your vehicle as far away from the road as possible, so as not to endanger yourself and others.

On that note, enjoy the ride and stay alert at all times!