OCTOBER 2005

After last weekend's tantrums of rain and wind, it looks like our beautiful summer is officially over. Soon we will be saying hello to the fall time change and increased hours of darkness. According to the National safety council, traffic fatality rates are three times greater at night than during the day. Those of us who are home before 10 pm have grown accustomed to being out primarily in daylight and have become a bit rusty with driving after dark. It's time to wipe that rust off, and here are some steps to help prepare us both physically and mentally for driving at night.

• Slow down. Every time I talk about driver safety I mention speed; however, it still continues to be a leading cause of accidents nation wide. Darkness limits our sight distance, which means we don't have the luxury of half-mile reaction times. Traveling at high speeds you can actually over drive the area illuminated by your headlights. By slowing your speed you increase reaction time and decrease the distance required to stop.

• Clean your vehicle windows both inside and out. Ninety percent of a driver's reaction depends on vision. Glare caused by weather or oncoming vehicle headlights already hampers our vision enough. We shouldn't be compounding this because we didn't take a couple of minutes to clean some road film.

• Protect your eyes from bright lights. It takes several minutes for our eyes to adjust to darkness, exposing them to bright light forces us to adjust all over again. Position your mirrors to deflect direct light beams and avoid looking into the lights of oncoming vehicles. If oncoming traffic lights are to bright, look to the front right side of the road for a guide. Also turn down the illumination on your dash and stay away from using the white dome light when driving.

• Make sure you car is mechanically ready for night driving. Have your headlights checked for proper adjustment and ensure all other lights are functioning properly. This isn't a time to procrastinate on needed repairs that could leave you stranded along the road after dark.

• Inventory your vehicle emergency kit. At a minimum you should have a cell phone, first aid kit, blanket, flashlight (with new batteries), and road flares.

• If you have car trouble that requires you to pull over, immediately turn on your emergency flashers and makes sure you are completely off the road. Warn vehicles following you by setting your flares at the rear of your car and up to 300 feet behind it. Use your cell phone to call help as soon as possible. If you or your passengers get out of the car make sure you stay away from the roadway.

• If you are taking a long drive, plan on making some short stops to get a snack and stretch your legs. Exercise can help you stay awake; but never substitute exercise for stopping and getting some extended rest if needed.

For the next six or seven months about fifty percent of our driving will be done during darkness. Although this is a time of increased hazard, certain precautions can alleviate the risk. Slow down and be mentally prepared to react quickly. Have your vehicle mechanically ready and stop to take a break if needed. These simple steps will go a long way in keeping us safe while driving after dark.

For more information on driving safety please visit www.ntsb.gov