Driving at night

It’s always best to avoid driving at times you’d normally be sleeping. Driving at night can be extra tiring. You can't see the road ahead as well as you can in daylight.

  • Keep your windscreen and headlights clean.
  • Always turn your headlights on.
  • If there are no cars in front, travel with your high beam on. To avoid dazzling other drivers, dim your high beam if a car is coming towards you, or if you're behind another car.
  • If you break down, turn on your hazard lights. If possible, pull off the road. Try not to stop just over a hill or just around a bend in the road. It will be difficult for other drivers to see you.
  • Keep your headlights and windscreen clean.
  • Keep an eye out for pedestrians and bicycles - they can be hard to see at night.
  • All drivers have a bigger risk of crashing at night. Young and new drivers have the biggest risk.
  • Drivers aged 16 and 17 have late night crash rates up to 7 times higher than their daytime rates.
  • Driving at night requires more skills and concentration than daylight driving. To help drivers gain these skills, learner’s permit holders must have at least 15 hours experience driving at night with a qualified supervising driver.