Few things are more important than having the right insurance coverage. About ten years ago, I was involved in a near-fatal crash where I experienced traumatic physical and emotional injuries. It was really challenging for me to endure the hospital stay and subsequent physical rehabilitation, but with the help of my medical team and my insurance company, I was able to overcome the challenge and completely recover. This blog is all about the importance of choosing the right insurance plan so that you can get on with your life and enjoy those precious years with your family and your friends.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that there are three times as many auto deaths at night as in the daytime. Even if you have good eyesight and feel alert, due to reduced visibility, driving in the darkness is more difficult. Therefore, it's important to take steps to reduce the risk of becoming involved in a vehicle crash at night.
1. Drive defensively. Taking extra caution at night and watching out for other drivers on the road can help you avert a vehicle accident. Besides the increased risk of other people driving under the influence of alcohol, you also are more likely to encounter drowsy drivers at night.
Drive more slowly at night and leave a greater distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. You need time to react if the driver in front suddenly applies the brakes. While you can't always predict what another driver will do, being prepared to react to the unexpected can help you avoid an accident.
2. Watch out for animals crossing the road.
Keep alert for light reflecting off an animal's eyes. If you spot two, bright dots glowing back at you from the dark, chances are there is an animal up ahead. Slow down rather than try to go around a large animal on the road. Many animals, including deer, tend to follow a vehicle's headlights and often end up right in front of you even when you are trying to avoid them. Remain alert, as where there is one deer in the darkness, usually, there are others.
3. Improve visibility and reduce glare.
Glare is dangerous to drivers because it reduces visibility. Therefore, keep your windshield clean and free of streaks – on both the inside and outside – as dirty glass refracts light. Clear glass helps to minimize glare coming from the road and headlights of other vehicles. Clean your rear view mirror and side mirrors to reduce glare coming from the headlights of vehicles behind you.
Keep your eyes focused on the edge of the road – particularly the white line on the right side of the road – to avoid staring into the glare of oncoming vehicle lights. You can still see with your side vision, but you can avert bright light shining directly into your eyes.
If you wear eyeglasses, lenses with anti-reflective coating give you sharper vision with less glare, including when you drive at night. Some glare that didn't bother you as much when you were younger may affect you more now, as your eyes become more sensitive to glare as you get older.
4. Use your vehicle's headlights properly.
Keeping your headlights on low beam not only prevents the light produced by high beams from reducing another driver's ability to see, but the action also may prevent a head-on collision. Bright headlights can temporarily blind the driver of an oncoming vehicle.
Aligning your headlights properly also helps other drivers avoid glare. It helps you see better as well. You can find instructions on how to aim your vehicle's headlights in the owner's manual.
Clean headlights are another safety factor. Dirt blocks light, which reduces your ability to see the roadway and other objects (including pedestrians) in the dark. Dirty headlights also diffuse light, causing glare – a potentially dangerous situation for both you and other drivers on the road.
For further assistance, contact a local automobile insurance provider, such as Plumer Insurance Agency.
Share7 July 2016
