Driving at night is more dangerous than driving in daylight hours – whether you’re operating a passenger vehicle, a motorcycle or a bicycle. The safety tips below, along with this 60 Second Driver video on night driving can help you stay safe at night.
Safety tips for drivers
- On highways, use your high beams to see further – but dim the lights when approaching a vehicle from behind or from the opposite direction.
- Increase your following distance behind vehicles so you don’t blind the driver in front.
- To reduce glare from oncoming vehicles, look to the right edge of the roadway instead of looking directly at their headlights.
- Reduce your speed at night – you should never drive so fast that you can’t stop within the distance you can see with your headlights.
- Continually scan the road to identify potential dangers like wildlife or vehicles on the side of the road.
- Never drive when tired – change drivers or pull over and rest.
Safety tips for cyclists
- Ride defensively, especially at dawn and dusk due to reduced visibility.
- The Highway Traffic Act states that all cyclists must have a white light at the front of their bike and a red or amber reflector at the rear – however a red tail light is recommended to increase visibility (generally blinking lights are more effective than a solid beam).
- Further increase your visibility with pedal reflectors, reflective strips on your front forks and chain stays, wheel reflectors, and reflective wrist or ankle bands.
- Wear bright colours, such as yellow or white, which are more noticeable at night.
Safety tips for motorcyclists and mopeds
- Reduce your speed and only pass when necessary.
- Allow more distance when following to give yourself more time to react, keeping a following distance of at least four or five seconds.
- Signal earlier, brake sooner, and flash your brake lights.
- Keep your goggles, face shield and windshield clean and replace them if badly scratched.
- Ensure you are visible by cleaning your lights and reflectors, and wearing bright/reflective clothing or adding reflective tape to your clothing or vehicle.
- Use your low beams in rain, fog, snow or smoke.
- If you are in a line of traffic, first flash your brake lights to alert those behind you, then apply your brakes steadily.
- Never ride with the brake partly applied: it causes premature brake wear and it turns on your brake light, which confuses other drivers.