Driving at night can be considered a risky business mainly because of low visibility. It is this time that allows objects to come as unclear and visibility of these objects may be compromised. Other than the low visibility and darkness, drivers can be at risk of driving at night due to driver’s fatigue or lack of attentiveness as roads during the night are emptier as compared to the day time.
Despite the risk, people do drive at night frequently, whether for leisure, work or emergency. In order to minimize the risk for driving at night there are now certain car safety features that are specially designed for nighttime driving. The car safety features, which help while driving at night, reduce the possibility of a human error induced by low visibility, driver fatigue or distracted driving. In order to minimize the risks of nighttime driving, auto manufacturers are now making some of the most important car safety features as standard in their new cars instead of offering them as add-ons.
Here are six of the most essential and innovative features that can potentially make driving at night safe.
Adaptive Cruise Control – A Check on Unnecessary Over Speeding
Even though it wasn’t built for nighttime driving safety, the Adaptive Cruise Control plays a critical role in making driving safe at night. How it works is that it has the ability to adjust the speed of the vehicle accordingly to the flow of the traffic. It is installed in modern day cars this potentially reducing the risk of a deadly road collision.
It is beneficial at night as it helps to slow down a vehicle automatically if it finds an approaching object ahead. The more advanced type of Adaptive Cruise Control would even stop your vehicle automatically in case of an emergency.
With the availability of Adaptive Cruise Control in your vehicle, you can drive on the highway at nighttime and are sure to feel safe even if you are drowsy due to fatigue while driving.
Blind Spot Monitoring – No Corner Left Unseen
As visibility is low during the night, the Blind Spot Monitoring System helps to keep you alert from every corner in case of any approaching object, even from the areas it’s hard for you to see.
With the use of radar sensor system, the Blind Spot Monitoring System scans the whole area around the vehicle and detects the movements of approaching vehicles. This system alerts the driver and passengers with the help of either a flash light or through a chime. The notification suggests the driver to wait before making a lane change thus helps to avoid collision.
Lane Departure Warning – Avoid a Sudden Lane Change
Driving during the night can be tricky as drivers at times don’t scan the traffic properly and make haste in changing lanes, which may result in disastrous consequences. Therefore, having the Lane Departure System in-built in the vehicle is essential for safe driving at nighttime, especially on the highway. This is because highways have fast driving lanes, any sudden change in lanes can cause possible fatal accidents. Lane Departure Warning System indicates to the driver if the vehicle is leaving the lane without signaling to the cars behind.
Even the drivers who feel fatigued while driving monotonously on the highway and may start losing focus, chances are the steering may start to sway and the vehicle may start to depart its lane. That is when the Lane Departure Warning System start to alert the driver through different warning signals to first indicate to other drivers and then leave the lane. The warning signal could be in the form of vibration in the driver’s seat, a loud alarm or a visual warning on the dashboard.
A more advanced version of the Lane Departure Warning System automatically steers the vehicle slightly to keep it in the lane.
Also read: Driving at Night Made Easy – 9 Ways to Improve Vision While Driving
Driver Alert Systems – Keeping you Awake/Attentive while Driving
There are many reasons as to why drivers lose attentiveness while driving. These includes fatigue, use of mobile phone or other distractions, which may lead to possible accidents. The driver alert systems in modern day cars monitor the lack of concentration while driving and alert the driver with the help of a vibration in the seat, visual warning on dashboard or through a warning sound.
There are many well-known car brands like Nissan, Volvo, Lexus, Ford, Volkswagen and many others who have launched their own versions of driver alert systems in their cars. The common aim of all these driving alert systems introduced by different brands in their car is to aid the drivers in maintaining focus while on the road even if they are drowsy are distracted.
Night Vision – Minimizing Run-over Accidents at Night
One of the latest, advanced and expensive car safety technology introduced is the Night Vision. This feature is offered in modern cars and is expected to be standard in future cars.
Night vision feature in cars works in a way that it allows the driver to locate objects beyond the range of the headlights if there is total darkness surrounding the vehicle. There is a sensor set in the front grille of the vehicle that detects objects and warm bodies in its range and alerts the driver through a dashboard warning light if the car gets too close to the object or living being on the road.
Some of the benefits of having this feature is that highway run-over accidents involving animals and pedestrians can be avoided substantially.
Also read: Emergency Brake Assist – Car Safety Feature for Safe Braking
Swiveling Headlights – Illuminating the Path on Every Turn
Headlights on every vehicle covers a standard forward area in terms of path illumination. The area covered can be quite limited if traveling on a road that is quite dark. Therefore, in recent car models car brands have introduced the swiveling or active headlights feature.
The usefulness of this feature is that it illuminated the path just as you turn the wheel. The lights also turn to light up the path you are heading to. This is important in conditions like dark lanes, bad weather and curvy roads with blind turnings.
Save lives with Nighttime Car Safety Features
Many car brands have introduced modern and innovative car safety features that reduces the risk of a dangerous road accident. These features help to make the driver be more attentive while driving and avoid any potential road accidents.
Car Safety technologies are still evolving and they are getting better by the day, but they are still far from making the vehicle completely safe and autonomous. These features are more precautionary in nature. Even if your car does not have the above-mentioned safety features, you can still avoid a dangerous road accident by being more careful while driving at night. Other than that, knowing your car and understanding all its safety features is also very important to make the appropriate use of these features at the right time.
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