10 Night Driving Tips Specific For Indian Roads

Driving at night can be full of hassles at times. Provided you are in India, you can come across places where street lights may not be working, or the people in the opposite lane might flash high beams thus, blinding your way. You can’t be responsible for situations like these but you can be an aware driver so that you can be safe in such situations. In today’s featured, we bring to you, 10-night driving tips and how they can be useful on the Indian roads.

1. Ensure Adequate Lighting
   

   

   Before you step out at night, make sure the road ahead is well lit by your car’s headlights. If your car has got projectors or LEDs, you can be sure of the visibility. In the case of older cars with halogen bulbs, you might need to get them levelled or replace the bulbs with a more powerful one. In some cases, people also prefer buying new additional lights. Remember, you can’t place a light above 1.5 metres from the ground in your car. If you still feel the light is not enough, you should invest in a foglamp if your car hasn’t got it. Fog lamps give you a better view of the road telling you about speed breakers or potholes.

2. Use Anti-glare IRVM film
   

   

   Most of the modern cars come with an auto-dimming IRVM but for those who don’t have this feature in their cars, can opt for an anti-glare film. This can be really helpful during night drives because the glares from the vehicles behind you can blind you sometimes if the lights are too reflective. Therefore it is safe to get your IRVM dimmed. You can do this by buying an auto-dimming IRVM from the aftermarket or simply investing in an anti-glare film.

3. Opt for defensive driving
   

   

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   The most important among all the night driving tips is your driving style. The best way is to drive defensive at night. Don’t be in a hurry, don’t overtake often and be in the speed limits. You shouldn’t get behind the wheel in case you are drunk at ay point of time. The probability of experiencing an alcohol-impaired driver is higher at night so it’s better you put your defensive instincts on and be responsible for yourself!

4. Watch for vehicles with blown-out headlamps
   

   

   By dark threats, we mean those vehicles on the roads which have careless owners. They can be cycles, bikes, cars or even trucks! You might have seen situations where only a single headlight on the car is working. This can be a huge threat, especially on two-lane roads. Also, if you are in India, you can spot bullock carts anywhere! Obviously, they don’t have headlights or any other reflector strips. Same is the case with some cycle owners. The best one among all the night driving tips to avoid such threats is to move cautiously and keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead.

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5. Keep the Windshield Clean
   

   

   Another important one! You should always keep the windshield and the windows clean in order to avoid any disturbance and have a clear view of the road ahead. Similarly, you should thoroughly clean your ORVMs as well so that you can have a clear look at the traffic behind you. Dirty mirrors can deflect the light beams in a wider and more diffused form thereby producing glare in your eyes.

6. Be considerate, use Low Beam
   

   

   Many people will tell you about numerous night driving tips but there are only a few people who still know the actual use of high beam and low beam headlights. If you are driving in a crowded urban area at night, you should never switch to high beam. This will blind the driver in front of you and can also possibly blind the driver coming from the opposite lane if you are driving in the last lane of the road. Use high beams only when it’s too dark and there are no other vehicles. As soon as you see a vehicle approaching, shift to low beam immediately.

7. Stay Hydrated, Stay Awake
   

   

   You should avoid long trips at night but in case you have to opt for it anyhow, make sure you are attentive enough while you are behind the wheel. One of the best practices is to keep yourself hydrated. Keep drinking water frequently while driving. Night driving can induce drowsiness for sure. If you still feel sleepy, turn off the AC and roll down the windows. Stop for a caffeinated beverage if you can.

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8. Always drive slow
   

   

   You should always drive slow at night. The reasons are obvious. There is low visibility at night and the reaction time is also slower as compared to the day time. Not getting into the math, consider a simple situation where we compare your headlight’s range to your stopping distance at different speeds. Your headlight’s range remains the same while your stopping distance increases with speed. Therefore, it’s safe to drive slow!

9. Avoid Looking directly at oncoming lights
   

   

   No matter how careful you might be, you can’t be sure of other people on the roads. This is the easiest, still very helpful among the night driving tips. Just avoid the oncoming lights. If you spot a car which is coming towards you, try not to look it into the eyes (the headlights). If you avoid staring at the headlights, you won’t experience any glare in your eyes and will be able to drive safely.

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10. Slow Down at Corners
    

    

    This one is especially for those driving in hilly or mountain areas. During the night, you should slow down near the sharp turns. Also, you should try and spot the light rays of a car that might be coming through the blind turn and act accordingly to avoid an accident. Also, if you need to pull over due to any reason, try to find a straight stretch and use your caution lights as well. Corners and blind turns can be really dangerous at nights if not handled well.

These were the 10-night driving tips that we wanted you to know. These tips can be really helpful if you drive regularly during the dark. Share this article with all those who like to drive their cars at night or have to drive during the night anyhow. These tips can help them be an aware driver and can enable them to drive safe during the night.