Safety Tips for Driving at Night

Human beings are diurnal, which means we weren’t meant to be traipsing around in the dark. And yet, that doesn’t stop anyone with a driver’s license from getting behind the wheel at night. Because nearly 90 percent of your reaction ability, while driving relies on sight, your chances of being involved in a collision at night are significantly greater than they are during the day. To keep your car on the road and out of the auto body shop, keep these safety tips in mind the next time you drive at night.

Increase Your Following Distance

Because your eyesight is limited at night, your reaction abilities are also limited. To prevent a collision, give yourself extra time to react in case something develops in front of you. To do this, increase your following distance from three seconds to five seconds. And be sure to pay attention to the road ahead and traffic around you in case you need to quickly evade an accident.

Slow Down

While increasing your following distance, be sure to slow down while traveling at night. The average driver requires three to five seconds to stop when driving 65 miles per hour. Because it may take you an extra second or two to recognize the need to slam on the brakes at night, slow down to account for the extra braking time needed. It might take you a few extra minutes to reach your destination, but at least you’ll make it home in one piece.

If you’ve been in an accident, bring your vehicle to Michael J’s Body Shop. With two state-of-the-art body shops in San Jose, we are one of the premier collision repair providers in the Bay Area. We are open Monday thru Saturday. Visit our website to learn more about our auto body repairs, or call us at 408-279-2070 to request an estimate.