Driving at night can be tricky and stressful, especially when it gets dark before you even leave work. When the sun sets, many in Yakima, WA, are confronted with a whole set of road challenges, like reduced visibility, glare from approaching traffic, and more. We've made this list of helpful tips to improve your night-driving experience.
Keep your interior lighting dim
As much as your interior lights help you find things in your vehicle at night, they can block your ability to see what's going on in front of you.
Even dashboard lights and infotainment systems can be a distracting light source that can degrade your vision, so please do so if you can change those settings.
Test and align your headlights
Your vehicle's headlights are a vital part of nighttime driving. They need to work and be bright, but they also have to be appropriately aligned. Even in newer cars, headlights are sometimes uneven or pointed lower than they should be. Make sure you test and align your lights to make driving more comfortable.
Watch out for animals
Scurrying wildlife like squirrels, deer, and moose can become a major road hazard this time of year. When driving in more rural areas, please watch out for these animals. We highly advise you to slow down and drive with extra caution when you're near forested areas to protect yourself and the animals. Also, you should know that you should never try to dodge an animal by veering off the road. It can lead to an even worse collision.
Keep your windshield clean
The last thing you should do to stay safe driving at night is regularly clean your windshield. At night, all those unseen streaks and imperfections will be more noticeable and cause a glare to degrade your vision. Please make sure you wipe down the inside and outside of your windshield to give you the best view of the road.
For any assistance to make your night drives safer, like auto electrical and lighting repairs, we invite you to call us or visit Westside Car Care in Yakima, WA.