Driving at night is an important component of any driving lesson, and in NSW, a learner must have a minimum of 20 hours of night driving out of the total 120 hours of supervised driving for the log book holders. Night driving is defined as driving between sunset and sunrise. The driving school in Manly pay special attention to these requirements, and will help you master driving at night easily.
When driving at night, what is most important to keep in mind is to have your lights checked beforehand, and to have it on as light fades so that your vehicle is visible to other drivers. To do so, walk around the vehicle and check all the lights before you start. Pedestrians and other drivers may not see you easily in the night and you may not see them easily (especially if pedestrians are not wearing bright clothing or lights are off on other vehicles), so it is imperative you have your lights on.
However, you must not have your headlights on high beam, if you are 200 meters towards an oncoming vehicle or behind another vehicle. If you are being dazzled by an oncoming vehicle, slow down and prepare to stop if unable to see well.
When making the transition from a well-lit road to an unlit or badly-lit road, slow down and keep an eye out for pedestrians and other vehicles. The human eye takes time to adjust to the change from lit to unlit, so slowing down will give you more time to react to oncoming obstacles and conditions. Also, slow down when passing places with crowd and parked vehicles. In any case, maintain a slower speed than you would employ driving during the daytime. Drive with extra caution when driving at night, and do not drive at all if you are feeling tired or sleepy: First get some rest for at least a couple of hours wherever you are and then start again.
Finally, remember to keep a four second gap. This is where you, as the following vehicle, pass a landmark 4 seconds after the vehicle in front – this can be measured by counting one thousand and one, one thousand and two, one thousand and three, and one thousand and four. If you passed the mark before you finished counting, you are driving too close/fast. Slow down and increase the gap. This will help you be safe on the road given the low lights.
Come to our driving schools in Manly and learn from the best instructors for a comfortable drive.