When the Sun Sets, Road Risks Rise: Tips for Safer Night Driving

Reduced vision and riskier road environments: here’s how to protect yourself against the dangers of driving after dark.

Driving at night, with dim lighting, on a monotonous stretch of road, or when you’re tired after a long day, requires a different set of driving skills — and presents a special set of risks to every driver.

This is, after all, one of the most dangerous times of the day to be on the road. In Malaysia, one-third of vehicle accidents happen between 4pm and 10pm, according to Dr Akmal Abdelfatah of the American University of Sharjah. In Cambodia, night-time drives are even more dangerous. According to National Police Chief Neth Savoeun, in 2014 80% of traffic accidents happened after midnight and involved drunk drivers.

Over in Manila, it’s best to stay off the roads in the small hours as 1am to 2am is the most deadly hour to be on the roads, according to the Metro Manila Accident Reporting Analysis System (MMARAS). So if you're driving after dark, here's what you need to look out for, and the Subaru safety technologies that are making night driving more secure.

Don’t be afraid of the dark

Peripheral vision, depth perception and even the ability to recognize colors can all be compromised after the sun sets. Visibility makes all the difference for night-time driving — which is why one of Subaru’s safety missions is to prioritize a clear line of sight for drivers and reduce any blind spots.

Significantly, Subaru has made its cars’ A-pillars as thin as possible to maximize the size of the windows and give drivers a clearer view. As a driver or passenger, you probably won’t notice — which is the point — but even the windshield wipers are designed to be parked out of the line of sight. Small details make a big difference.

There’s a reason why your parents nagged you to keep your car clean - and it’s not just because they were concerned what the neighbour would think. Just by cleaning your windshield inside and out you’ll make it much easier to see (day or night). When the sun sets it’s more difficult to see anyway, but If your windshield is dirty it can also make difficult driving conditions worse by making it even harder to see.

Into the lights

Sometimes it’s just you and your headlights forging ahead. To help improve your visibility and make driving safer at night, Subaru has engineered clever Steering Responsive Headlights (SRH) that pivot as you turn the steering wheel, lighting your path so you can see further ahead.

This can be a game changer at intersections or when turning corners, giving advance warning of a motorcyclist or pedestrian in your path while cornering, or enabling you to see a road hazard as early as possible so you have more time to react.

But improving visibility when you’re driving at night isn’t a one-way street. Drivers who fail to switch off their hight beams while approaching another vehicle effectively reduce the other driver's visibility to zero. To be safe, when driving on a pitch-dark road you should always dip your high-beams within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle, and within 300 feet of a car you’re following. Or you should drive a car that does it for you (because we’ve all been that person who forgets to turn off their high beams). When the sensors detect an oncoming vehicle in an adjacent lane, Subaru's High Beam Assist (HBA) feature will ensure your lights automatically lower. You won’t just be helping everyone on the road see better, you’ll also be removing one of the potential sources of road rage.

When you’re on a long stretch of road, or in an area that isn’t well lit, switching on your high beams is best for boosting your visibility.

Fatigue can be fatal

Driver fatigue — and microsleep while driving — can have devastating consequences. According to MMARAS in the Philippines, the high rate of fatal accidents in Metro Manila in the small hours is likely due to driver fatigue or falling asleep behind the wheel.

If you catch yourself with heavy eyelids, or drifting out of your lane, do yourself and other drivers around you a favor. As soon as it’s safe, pull off to the side of the road and rest. Loughborough University researchers Jim Horne and Louise Reyner, who examined sleep-related car collisions, say a short nap can work wonders. “Even more effective is the combination of a nap with caffeine,” they observe.

To provide the ultimate backup to tired eyes, Subaru has developed the Driver Monitoring System, to help prevent accidents caused by drowsy driving. This advanced safety system is one of the first of its kind and is designed to ensure drivers are being attentive to the road ahead. If a driver shows signs of being distracted or of waning attention, the drowsy-driving prevention technology detects their lack of focus and delivers visual and audio alerts to snap their attention back to the road.

And one last thing you should know just in case you thought that comfy driver’s seat was designed to help you drift off should you need to pull over for a nap. Subaru has engineered the driver’s seat to keep you in your optimal driving position, which helps to reduce fatigue during long drives at night — so you can stay alert and continue comfortably on your way.

Night driving can be challenging for everybody. But if you’re behind the wheel of a Subaru, you’ll never have to be afraid of the dark.