For many, it's a deliberate choice: traveling at night to avoid daytime traffic. But in many cases, driving in the dark – as in winter days, when daylight hours are reduced – is an unavoidable choice.
Driving in the dark requires some special precautions. At night, it's harder to judge speed and safe following distance. It can be impossible to spot an obstacle until it's too late to avoid it. If you're traveling at night, you need to consider that your body is physiologically predisposed to rest and fatigued from the day. Reaction times lengthen.
First safety rule: watch your speed. On roads without public lighting, you must be able to stop within the area illuminated by your low beams. Excluding motorways, a speed of 80 km/h might already be too high. If you can only illuminate a few meters of asphalt, adjust or have the height of your headlights adjusted to restore the correct orientation of the light beam.
For better external visibility, the car's interior should be dimly lit. No lights on, dashboard lights at a minimum, and set the navigator to night mode.
Many people have the bad habit of always using high beams, but it's a dangerous practice and prohibited by law. Use high beams only if there are no other vehicles in sight. And if you encounter a car, always focus your gaze on the white line that marks the edge of the road to avoid being dazzled.
Watch out for overtaking: avoid it unless you are absolutely sure.
In the dark, conditions can change rapidly: on a road with tunnels, the dark/light transition at entry and exit is frequent and quick. Eye adaptation is not immediate and worsens with age; pupil dynamics become slower and less efficient. Caution is therefore advised.
And always maintain your vehicle: headlights and tail lights must always be clean and working. Because in the dark, it's important not only to see, but also to be seen!
