ROAD SAFETY
Night-time
driving a risk
Drinking and driving is pretty dangerous, but it can be almost as dangerous as driving at night. The US National Safety Council says a motorist is three times as likely to die from a car crash at night as during the day. That’s no joke.
And it should be enough to make you not want to drive at night ever, but that’s not always possible. But knowing what makes night driving so dangerous can help you avoid the pitfalls.
Driving at night is hazardous mainly because there is less visibility. Judging distances is way more difficult, your peripheral vision is impaired and colours are clearly not what they are in daylight. This makes driving at night as fast as you do during the day doubly dangerous – swerving out of the way of an obstruction or braking in time to avoid collision are much more difficult in the dark.
Remember that the light we use at night is artificial, so it’s harder to see road signs, other vehicles, pedestrians, or even animals. The chances of

pedestrians are also greater than they are during the day. No matter how modern your vehicle is, lighting is going to be limited, so cyclists and bikers are far less visible as well.
Oncoming cars could be driven by someone who has been on the road for hours, which means there’s a fair chance they’re less attentive than they would be otherwise. This may be true of you too.
And if you’re an older person, take extra care. You might get tired more easily, and need better light to drive in than is available at night. An added, more recent danger is the placing of objects on roads by criminals to slow drivers down, or even throwing stones from bridges (which can happen during the day too, but it’s way more dangerous by night).
So if you have to drive at night, what can you do? For starters, you can make sure you have your eyes tested regularly. Also, make sure you are rested before setting off on your journey. Do not consume any alcohol, food or medication that will make you drowsy before or during your drive. And preferably have someone with you in the car who can keep you company and be an extra set of eyes.
Stop often, eat something light, rest. Don’t rush it – you’ll get there, even if it is a little later than you thought. Remember to use your bright headlights with care – think of the driver in front of you and the oncoming vehicle. If you are blinded by highbeam headlights, slow right down.
Most important of all: plan your driving, try to do it during the day. But if you can’t, keep the above guidelines and hazards in mind.

You can’t see them – and they can’t see you
Animals (both domestic and wild) are a danger on the road. And they’re in danger too, as they are often killed or injured. So are motorists. This is a fact of life along almost all of our country’s roads – rural, provincial and even on the national road network. It does not get a great deal of attention, but in December, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) ran a campaign to try to determine what kind of animals are killed and where.
The information gathered by the EWT can be added to the existing database on roadkill along the N4, so that remedial action can be taken.
Motorists should be doubly careful in low light, because it is more difficult to see animals.
If there is an animal on the road, motorists should dim their lights, as bright lights could mesmerise the animals. Hoot intermittently to chase them away. Slow down and try to drive around the animals.
Take note of the road signs that indicate where animals might cross – and also where there is no fencing along the road.
Not only can you help save the lives of animals and prevent them from getting maimed, you can save your car, your passengers and yourself from serious injury.