Driving at night

Driving at night increases the risk of being involved in an accident. With the combination of reduced visibility, glare and fatigue, it is best to change our habits and adopt safe practices to ensure our safety and that of others.

Several factors come together to make nighttime driving more complicated. The principal ones concern:

• drivers, in particular their vision

• vehicles, in particular the illumination range of the headlights

• the driving environment, in particular obstacles that are seen only at the last minute

Driving at night: less traffic but more challenges: Drivers:

At night, our vision is affected by the decrease in natural light. Headlights are unable to compensate for the lack of daylight. Contrasts are less pronounced, which affects depth perception and our ability to see movement. As a result:

• objects illuminated by the headlights lose some of their colour

• movement is harder to see

• stationary objects become lost in darkness, which makes it difficult to judge distances

• obstacles risk being seen too late

In order to properly “read the road”, it is therefore necessary to look beyond the headlight illumination range. It is also important to adopt strategies specific to nighttime driving:

• slow down – darkness reduces a driver's field of vision

• increase the safety margin between you and the vehicle ahead – at night it is harder to judge distances

• keep the windshield clean and in good condition – a broken, dirty or cracked windshield reduces visibility

Vehicles Headlights

• Low beam headlights have a range of 45 to 70 or 75 metres of illumination.

• High beam headlights have a range of up to 150 metres of illumination.

• Clean and properly adjusted headlights are much better

Light cast by the headlights must ensure good visibility, both for you and for drivers in other vehicles, which is why it is important to make sure that headlights and lights are clean and work well.

Do not blind other drivers! It's the law!

It is mandatory to switch to low-beams: • at least 150 metres from a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction

• at least 150 metres from a vehicle you are following

• when lighting on a public roadway is sufficient, such as in a town or city or on a busy highway

If you fail to obey the law, you are liable to a fine of $60 to $100, plus costs.

Taillights are what allow drivers in vehicles behind you to spot you. It is important that these lights work well and not be obstructed.

With the exception of dashboard lighting, all lights inside a vehicle must be turned off to avoid the risk of glare.

Dashboard lighting can be adjusted to a brighter setting when in a city, and dimmed when on a road that has little or no lighting. In the latter case, it is recommended that dashboard lighting be dimmed as much as possible to avoid visual fatigue.

Taillights: Dashboard lighting and other interior lights: Nighttime driving: Watch out for animals!

The only way to drive prudently at night is to slow down. In some places, signs warn drivers that they may come across wild animals. However, wild animals are also present in other areas where there are no signs. It is important to be careful at all times. Slow down.

To avoid being blinded by the headlights of oncoming vehicles, look toward the right side of the road. Do not look directly at the headlights of oncoming vehicles. Slow down if the glare from the headlights of oncoming vehicles is too blinding. Avoid passing when in doubt (at night, oncoming vehicles appear further away than they are)

Take a break every 2 hours to counter the effects of driver

Glare caused by other vehicles: If you drive at night:

fatigue. (Source: S.A.A.Q.)