Castle Law Office has a few tips to help you have a smoother journey and to help you avoid being involved in a serious accident.
- Prepare for the extra nighttime driving.
Make sure your headlights and taillights and your windshields and mirrors are clean and clear, so you can see and be seen by other vehicles. - Make sure your headlights are aimed correctly.
Your headlight angles can be adjusted so make sure they are aimed appropriately for optimum visibility. - Rest.
If you feel yourself getting drowsy, pull over and get some rest rather than continuing to drive while drowsy. - Put together an emergency car care kit and keep it in your trunk.
Include jumper cables, flares or triangles, flashlights and batteries, water bottles and snacks, warm clothes and a blanket, and sand or cat litter. You never know if you will get stranded or for how long. - Exercise.
Exercise can increase your alertness and help combat some of that drowsiness. It is easy to feel sluggish during the colder months so a little exercise can help boost your metabolism and help you stay alert. - Put down the phone; Avoid distractions.
Visibility is already decreased due to the darkness resulting in compromised night vision, so we don’t need anything else affecting our ability to focus on the road and be aware of our surroundings. - Slow Down.
Drowsiness and fatigue equals slower reaction time so drive a little slower while your body is adjusting to the time change. - Maintain a little extra space between you and vehicle in the front of you.
Again, driving while drowsy and/or fatigued will result in slower reaction time so give yourself a little more space than usual until your body adjusts to the time change.