Should Driving at Night Time be on the Driving Test?

It is a well-known fact that less experienced drivers are those most likely to be involved in an accident. Many of these incidents could be avoided, as quite a high percentage take place in the hours of darkness.

Serious Concerns On Driving Standards

According to research carried out by some of the leading insurance companies 75 per cent of driving instructors have serious concerns about driving test standards and believe that driving at night should be an additional part to the UK driving test.

This research is backed by novice drivers as they claim that they would welcome a night time driving part to the test as they claim that at first they struggle when driving at night and find it daunting. At present the only way in the UK to gain experience at night is to drive at night – so with looking at what has gone before, it seems that both sides want driving at night time to be added to the driving test so that it makes our roads safer.

Tips for Night Time Driving

If you do have to drive at night then here are a few useful tips.

• Make sure you are fit to drive.
• If you are tired then don’t drive, tiredness can kill and it will undoubtedly increases your risk of collision.
• It’s a simple requirement but you should make sure that you have had a restful night’s sleep, especially if you are undertaking a long journey – stay alert, stay alive.
• It may not be always possible but try to avoid undertaking long journeys between the hours of midnight and 6am. The body is at minimum sharpness and less alert than at any other time in the day as this is when it is usually sleeping.
• Make sure your journey has sufficient stops planned and if you feel tired make sure you take a break even if it is not planed – if you start to yawn this is the body’s way of telling you that a break is needed and you should pull over at the next park or service station on the route. It is recommended that driver’s should take a fifteen-minute break every two hours.
• Feeling sleepy? If the answer is yes then make sure to pull over but remember that if you are on a motorway then you cannot use the hard shoulder as a place to stop for a break – the hard shoulder must only be used as a place to use if you are in an emergency or you have broken down.
• If you do need a break, the most effective ways to counter sleepiness are to drink, for example, two cups of caffeinated coffee and to take a short nap (at least 15 minutes), this is recommended by the Highway Code.

If you still feel unhappy about driving at night then you can go on an advanced driving course and you could ask them to boost your confidence by showing you how to drive at night. There’s added benefits, if you complete an advanced driving course it can also bring your car insurance down.