Seniors: Night Driving Can Be Challenging

Seniors: Night Driving Can Be Challenging

As we get older, our reaction time begins to slow down and our vision starts to decline. These factors can lead to problems while driving at night. Here are a few helpful hints for driving at night: 

• Make sure your headlights are on at least one hour before sunset and one hour after sunrise. 
• Increase your distance between other vehicles on the road and allow more time when stopping.  
• Stay alert, if you are drowsy or tired, do not drive.  
• If you feel that your vision is not what it should be, get an eye examination, don’t take chances.

Lastly, have you exterior lights and headlights checked often. Also, the headlights lenses on many cars today fade over time, which reduces your ability to see at night. If your lenses are cloudy, please see you auto service professional. In many cases the headlight lenses can be polished and repair, saving you the expense of replacement headlight assemblies.

Fall Driving Safety Tips

AUTUMN DRIVING SAFETY TIPS

Sunny days and crisp nights, colorful falling leaves and the last chance to hit the road before winter's ice and snow make autumn the perfect time for a road trip. But amongst all that beauty are some hazards you should know about. Don't let one of them ruin your scenic autumn drive.

The Dangers of Falling leaves

As we head into the fall, leaves will begin to accumulate on the roadways, which can cause slippery and hazardous driving conditions. As the temperature falls, particularly overnight, the wet leaves can turn the roadways as dangerous as ice or snow covered. Also, leaves can cover and hide road markings, making it difficult to know the exact location of the lanes.

Autumn leaves piled along the roadside may be a scenic part of fall, but if those leaves get wet, they can be as big a hazard as a puddle or standing water. If you hit a patch of wet leaves, you can lose traction. Braking and steering may be difficult. Be aware of this hazard and treat wet leaves the way you would a water hazard, slowing down and braking and steering carefully.

Avoid driving over piles of dry leaves, too. They could ignite on hot engine parts, or they might be obscuring a pot hole or other hazard

To avoid skidding and loss of vehicle control, slow down and be very cautious when braking. Treat wet leaves the same as you treat icy conditions. Allow yourself extra time to stop and maintain a greater distance between you and the car ahead of you.

Here’s another tip; keep leaves from accumulating around the wiper area and under the hood. These leaves will find their way into your heater vent system and may damage the heater motor or will eventually decompose. Rotting leaves will emit an unhealthy, foul odor from your heater vents.

Weather
Fall is a time of variable weather. Sunny days can give way to frosty nights, and sudden showers may leave roads slick. Make sure your wiper blades, tires and brakes are all in good working order. If you find frost on your windshield in the morning, take the time to clean it off so you have full visibility.

Animals
Autumn is a time of greater activity in the animal world also. It's mating season for deer, elk, moose and other large mammals. A buck in pursuit of a doe may not stop for traffic. Bears are focused on ingesting as many calories as possible as the days dwindle, so are less cautious about being out at all hours. Smaller animals, too, are more active in autumn as they gather food stores. Slow down and be extra alert if you live in an area where these animals roam. Get in the habit of scanning the road ahead. If you see movement or an animal on the side of the road, decrease your speed. Warn motorists ahead of you of a possible hazard by flashing your lights three times

School's in
Watch for children walking to and from school, especially in early morning hours when they might not be as readily visible. Children walking in groups with their friends may be distracted and careless about stepping out in traffic. Slow down and be aware.