For me, I knew I was getting older when driving at night was no longer fun and has since become dreaded. Almost anything at night is scary by nature. We are taught that monsters and the boogeyman “go bump in the night” as small children. As we grow up and realize that all of this is fictional, other concerns take over at night, especially that of night driving. There are many precautions to be taken to avoid car crashes, especially if you are a new driver or teenager driver who does not have a lot of night driving experience.
Though it seems obvious, the first thing is to drive alert and awake. Falling asleep behind the wheel is a serious cause of car accidents in this country, and a major source of damage to vehicles such as auto glass repair, windshield repair or full replacement glass. A glass repair is fixable; however, a driver’s head smashing into a windshield may not be. Use your judgment. If you are so exhausted that you cannot drive, then don’t. Get a good night’s sleep and wait until the morning. If you must drive, drink caffeine or eat something with high caffeine content such as dark chocolate. Crack open windows for fresh, cool air and avoid putting on the heater, which allows for fatigue.
Experts also say to keep your eyes moving, constantly scanning for flashes of light that indicate oncoming cars. Make sure to keep your auto glass, including windshields and windows, and headlights clean, thus decreasing glare and increasing efficiency. To avoid glare as much as possible, do not look directly into oncoming headlights. If you are driving with an extremely pitted windshield, it may be time to consider a replacement as the pitting can actually exagerate the glare.
Finally, make sure to be a courteous night driver. Avoid using high beams with oncoming traffic. For the other driver, the beams shine through their automobile glass and blind them temporarily. And in fog, though you may think you need high beams, it is the opposite. Use your low beams so other drivers can see as well.
Read more from Sheila O'Toole.
Managing Director for TeleGlass National. Having spent almost two decades in Auto Glass, I truly enjoy the dynamic, fast-paced culture the industry provides. Every day I get to help people out which is truly fulfilling.
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