With dark skies across the community and much of Arizona, driving at night can be tricky. It’s important to keep in mind a few basic guidelines to make sure you and your vehicle both are well-prepared for the trip. Consider the following suggestions to help get to your destination safely.
Ensure headlights are aimed properly. If you think your headlights are casting light too far above or below your line of vision on the road, you may need to adjust their aim.
Dim dashboard lights. Most vehicle makes and models come with a dimmer for the instrument panel. Make sure it’s set to the lowest brightness to limit distraction. Also remember to turn off overhead or visor lights while driving, which can also limit visibility at night.
Don’t wear tinted glasses. Yellow lenses sold to enhance nighttime driving could actually decrease visibility instead of amplifying colors and objects.
Clean your windshield. This goes without saying! Use a clean microfiber cloth or a newspaper to clean the windshield (yes, newspaper works!). Make sure the windshield is streak- and smudge-free before driving at night, and try to avoid wiping window condensation with your hands.
Don’t focus on headlights in oncoming traffic. We all want to look! Keep your eyes on the road in front of you and avoid looking in the headlights of oncoming traffic—especially if you notice a car using the high-beam headlight setting.