Driving at night

As our days become shorter and our nights longer we spend more time driving at night. You must use extra precautions when you drive at night. You will have less time to stop if a hazard lies ahead. Make sure you can stop within the distance lighted by your headlights.

The law says you must turn your headlights on 30 minutes before sunset and leave them on until 30 minutes after sunrise. You must turn your lights on any time you can’t see at least 1000 feet (2.5 city blocks) ahead.

You may have to drive slower when leaving a brightly lit place until your eyes adjust to the darkness. When approaching a vehicle at night, its proper etiquette to dim your headlights. If you do not dim your lights, you could cause the other driver to be blinded by the light and have a crash. If the vehicle is coming towards you, your vehicle could be involved as well. Also, if you dim your lights the other driver is likely to do the same. If this does not happen, you should keep your lights on low beam anyway. If you do not, you are risking more than possibly blinding the other driver. You are endangering yourself as well.

Don’t look directly into oncoming headlights. Look toward the right edge of your lane. Watch the oncoming car out of the corner of your eye. Do not try to “get revenge” at the other driver by keeping your bright lights on. If you do, both of you may be blinded putting everyone in danger.

Drive as far to the right as possible if a vehicle with one light comes toward you. It could be a bicycle or motorcycle, but it could also be a “one-eyed” vehicle.

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