Less traffic, more speed. Those who take advantage of reduced night-time traffic to increase their speed are making a serious mistake. Even though fewer vehicles circulate at night, accidents occurring during night hours cause – in Europe – between 35 and 50% of road fatalities.
Night driving requires particular caution. Visibility is reduced. Darkness makes it more difficult to assess safe distance and speed, to understand the type of curve, and to identify any obstacles. Furthermore, during hours usually dedicated to sleep, our body instinctively tends to relax and "slow down", which results in slower reactions.
And that's not the only physical problem we encounter. In the dark, the eye's focus tends to remain fixed on the limit of the headlights' beam; to avoid this inconvenience, we alternate between low beams and high beams, obviously not if we are passing another vehicle. If a car comes towards us from the opposite direction, avoid staring at its headlights and shift your gaze downwards, along the white line at the edge of the carriageway. The interior light must be switched off: an illuminated light causes a partial closing of the pupil, which makes it more difficult to perceive what is happening outside the car.
How can we reduce the risks? Some advice. It seems trivial, but it's important: check that headlights and side lights are clean and working. Drive at a speed that allows you to stop within the stretch of road illuminated by your headlights. Moderate your speed when moving from illuminated areas to dark areas, to give your eyes time to adapt. And finally, a defensive driving technique: use the lights of the vehicles in front of you to gain information on the road ahead.
