Afraid Of The Dark: 100,000 New Drivers Have Never Driven At Night
Up To 100,000 driving test candidates a year have no experience of driving after dark. That’s according to new government figures…
No Experience Of Night Driving
New figures from the DVSA has revealed that up to 100,000 driving test candidates a year have never driven in the dark. This is despite the fact that around 35% of accidents involving young adults occur at night. The motoring organisation surveyed 17,000 learners and young drivers and discovered that 17.5% of them had never taken to the roads after the sun’s gone down. A further 22% said they’d had less than two hours driving practice in dark conditions before taking their practical test.
For perspective, 610,000 drivers aged between 17 – 24 took their practical tests between October 2018 and October 2019. Of these, approximately 106,000 had no experience of ever taking to the roads after dark. As a result, the DVSA is advising learners to ensure that they receive more nighttime lessons.
Mark Winn, chief driving examiner at the DVSA, stressed the importance of driving in reduced lighting. He said, “DVSA’s priority is to help everyone through a lifetime of safe driving. It’s essential that all learners gain experience of driving in the dark, whether with their driving instructor or through private practice”. He added, “spotting hazards in reduced visibility is a skill built on experience. The more time a learner spends practising in different conditions, the better prepared they will be for driving safely on their own.”
Tips For Driving After Dark
The DVSA has released tips for drivers to follow when driving at night…
1) It’s important to drive at a reduced speed during the night and when light is reduced. Due to reduced visibility, it’s important that you have more time to react to incidents on the road.
2) Use your car’s lights responsibly and properly. Only use your full beam lights on unlit roads and be mindful not to dazzle oncoming drivers and road-users. Use your regular headlights on illuminated stretches of road.
3) Driving at night or in the early hours will almost certainly cause fatigue and tiredness; regardless of how well you’ve slept. Whilst a good night’s sleep will help, make sure to take regular breaks and stop (when it’s safe to do so) if you feel that you’re becoming drowsy. Power naps and caffeine can help.
4) Be especially vigilant when overtaking at night. Give yourself plenty of time to carry out the manoeuvre and wait until you can see far ahead down the road.
5) Finally, keep your windscreen and mirrors clean and clear. The last thing you want is obstructed vision when visibility is already greatly reduced.
Highways England Is Switching Motorway Lights Back On – https://autoserve.co.uk/motoring-news/highways-england-is-switching-motorway-lights-back-on/
How To Drive Safely In Winter Conditions – https://autoserveclub.co.uk/blog/how-to-drive-safely-in-winter-conditions/
