Night Driving Safety: Essential Tips for UK Roads

Summary

• 40% of accidents happen in the dark: Despite far fewer cars being on the road at night.
• Tiredness is a major factor: Drowsy driving is as dangerous as drink driving.
• Good lights and clean windscreens are essential: Small things make a big difference at night. See our full night driving guide for more.

Night driving is unavoidable for most UK motorists. Here is how to do it safely.

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Prepare Your Car

• Check all lights: Headlights, tail lights, brake lights, and indicators. A blown bulb can get you stopped by police.
• Clean your windscreen: Inside and out. A dirty screen creates glare from oncoming headlights.
• Adjust your mirrors: Most rear-view mirrors have a night setting that reduces glare.
• Top up your washer fluid: Road spray at night quickly makes your windscreen dirty.

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Using Your Lights Correctly

Situation	Which Lights
Built-up areas with street lights	Dipped headlights
Unlit roads	Full beam (dip when you see oncoming traffic)
Following another car	Dipped headlights (full beam dazzles their mirrors)
Fog	Dipped headlights + fog lights if visibility is under 100m

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Dealing with Glare

Oncoming headlights can temporarily blind you. To cope:

• Do not look directly at oncoming lights. Focus on the left edge of the road.
• Slow down until the vehicle has passed.
• Use your rear-view mirror's night mode to reduce glare from behind.
• Keep your windscreen clean. Dirt makes glare much worse.

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Tiredness and Night Driving

Drowsy driving is responsible for around 20% of motorway accidents. Signs you are too tired to drive:

• Heavy eyelids or frequent blinking.
• Drifting between lanes.
• Missing road signs or junctions.
• Yawning repeatedly.
• Difficulty remembering the last few miles.

What to Do

1. Pull over at a safe location (service station, car park).
2. Drink a strong coffee or caffeinated drink.
3. Take a 15-20 minute nap.
4. Only continue driving when you feel fully alert.

Opening the window or turning up the radio does not work. If you are tired, the only safe solution is to stop and rest.

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Watch for Pedestrians and Cyclists

Pedestrians and cyclists are much harder to see at night, especially if they are not wearing reflective clothing.

• Slow down in residential areas.
• Watch for people crossing between parked cars.
• Look out for cyclists without lights (they should have them, but not all do).

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Final Thoughts

Night driving needs extra care and attention. Keep your car well-maintained, your lights working, and your windscreen clean. Most importantly, never drive if you are too tired.

For more safety advice, check our winter driving safety guide.

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