Unit 05 Lesson 05 - Night Driving and Emergency Situations
When you drive at night, you are in an entirely new environment. It is easy to become disoriented because you no longer can use trees, houses or other objects to help judge your location or distances. Glaring headlights also hinder your judgment. Bicyclists and pedestrians may dart in front of your car without warning. You are more likely to become sleepy and cause a crash. For these and other reasons, night driving is an important skill you should develop. The following are some rules everyone should follow:
- If a car is coming toward you, dim your lights before you get within 500 feet of the oncoming car. If you are following a car, dim your lights when you are within 300 feet of the vehicle ahead of you.
- Use your lights any time conditions keep you from seeing 1,000 feet ahead. These conditions include fog, stormy weather or dust.
- Turn on your headlights no later than half an hour after sunset and keep them on until half an hour before sunrise.
- If another driver does not dim his/her lights, dim yours anyway. Blinding the other driver to “get even” only results in two drivers not being able to see. If you do not look at the lights of the oncoming car, you should be able to maintain proper control of your vehicle and be able to continue driving without mishap.
- It is wise to slow down a little at night. The law requires that you drive at a “reasonable and prudent” speed. That means, especially at night, if you drive the posted speed limit, it may be too fast.
- Be sure that you can stop within the distance that is lighted by your headlights.
- Do not drive at night with a dirty, foggy, or icy windshield. Although not safe at any time, windshields that are not clear at night will cause headlights and other lights to glare, which may result in the driver being blinded.
- You should check all of your lights often to see whether any of the lights or signals are not functioning properly. (For more information select the video link below "Skill Builder 17 - Proper Use of Headlights")
- A person younger than 17 years of age, whether resident or nonresident of this state, may not operate a motor vehicle upon any highway of this state between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless one of the following exceptions applies:
- the driver is accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 years of age who is occupying a seat next to the driver;
- driving is in connection with a driver’s employment, including the trip to and from the driver’s residence and the driver’s employment;
- the driver drives to the driver’s residence from a driver’s school-sponsored activity if transportation to the activity is provided by a school or school district, and the provided transportation commences from and returns to the school property where the driver is enrolled.
- the driver is on assignment of a farmer or rancher and the driver is engaged in an agricultural operation; or
- in an emergency.
Night Driving: By Chris Keating from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, CC-BY-2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
STAYING AWAKE / NO DROWSY DRIVING
When you are tired, your ability to drive is affected. You will probably not be able to make decisions as quickly, your reaction time will be increased and you may become upset more easily. You may even fall asleep at the wheel. The following are some tips that may help you drive more safely at night:
- Get a good night’s sleep before you start a trip at least seven (7) to nine (9) hours.
- Do not take any medications that can make you sleepy. Medications taken the night before a trip can remain in your body and cause you to be less alert the next day.
- Do not drive for long hours or distances--300 to 400 miles a day is plenty. The time you save is not worth the risk of driving when your reaction time is slower and your power of concentration is less.
- Try not to drive late at night. Your body is probably used to going to sleep at that time and your reaction time will become slower. Travel at times you are normally awake.
- Take rest breaks regularly, even if you don’t feel tired. Let someone else drive part of the time. Stop for a bit of refreshment every 100 miles or every two hours of driving time.
- Plan for stops in cities where you may stay for the night.
- Shift your eyes from one part of the road to another. Try to enjoy the scenery without neglecting your driving. Look at objects near and far, left and right.
Some warning signs you may experience that signify drowsiness while driving are:
- You can't remember the last few miles driven.
- You hit a rumble strip or drift from your lane.
- You keep pulling your vehicle back into the lane.
- Your thoughts are wandering and disconnected.
- You yawn repeatedly.
- You have difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open and your head up.
- You tailgate or miss traffic signs.
- You have narrowly missed crashing.
NOTE: If you feel tired, the best decision is to find a safe place to stop and get some sleep for at least twenty (20) minutes, no matter the time of day, especially if all passengers in the vehicle are sleeping. You will be surprised at how much a tiny nap like this can help you stay awake when you are back on the road.
05.05 Night Driving and Emergency Situations - Proper Headlight Use Video
Skill Builder - Proper Use of Headlights
The video in this activity was developed by the state of California to help drivers develop proper driving habits. It is a "YouTube" video, so if your school blocks access to Youtube.com, then you will have to watch the videos at another location. (library, home, GoogleTV, AppleTV etc).
Please watch the video carefully. It may be necessary to watch it a couple of times to understand the information before you start your behind-the-wheel driving experience. After watching the video in this lesson, you will take a quiz on the content of the video.