Daylight savings just ended – and that means a lot of folks will now be heading out on the roads in the morning before the sun actually rises and coming home again when it’s already dark.
While you always have to be on your defense when you’re driving, it helps to be a little extra cautious this time of the year. After all, nobody wants to go into the winter holidays while they’re trying to recover from a wreck!
Here are some tips that could just save your life:
Keep your brights down
If you’re driving in the city, there’s almost no reason to have your brights on (and plenty of reason to avoid them). If you’re driving in a rural area, your brights may be justified – but dim them as soon as you see other cars approaching from the opposite direction. Your brights can accidentally blind another driver, and that can cause them to go left-of-center and right into your path.
Get your lights cleaned
You wouldn’t drive with a burned-out headlight or tail light – but having your bulbs obscured by layers of roadway grime can be just as bad. Make sure that your bulbs are new and the covers on your lights aren’t too dirty, scratched or hazy to be useful. You don’t want your own vision obscured because of bad lights.
Get a little extra rest
Even though you technically “gained an hour” when Daylight Savings ended, it can be difficult for your body to make the adjustment. You may feel a bit off for weeks following the switch. A little extra sleep can help you be a more alert driver – and that’s particularly important when it’s dark outside.
Unfortunately, no matter what you do, you can end up the victim of another driver’s mistakes. If you end up in an accident despite your best efforts to avoid one, you could find out what it takes to get fair compensation for your losses.