Geared to Go A Workbook for Coaching New Drivers

9This exercise should be done once the new driver has become reasonably skilled in all previous exercises.During the first few after dark practice sessions, have the learner return to the same streets that werepractised on during the day. All the skills practised during the day are handled the same way after dark.However, decreased visibility after dark makes driving more difficult and increases the risk of a collision.The following instructions will help the learner drive more safely after dark.Review and discuss the information in the following sections. Review each section at home or in thelegally parked vehicle and then practise the required skills.Stay Safe – Lights on for SafetyDriving with headlights on makes you more visible during the day and helps you to see hazardsat night.Dangers of driving after dark• Vision is severely limited after dark, making objects and traffic patterns more difficult to see and planfor ahead of time.• A driver’s reactions depend on vision. When vision is limited after dark, it is more difficult to make safegap judgments, notice pedestrians and cyclists, and see curbs, medians, pavement markings androadway edges clearly.• Glare from oncoming headlights makes seeing things more difficult, and temporarily blinds somedrivers. It takes several seconds for the normal eye to re-adjust from this temporary blindness.• Most people become more tired as the night progresses. This interferes with concentration andjudgment, and slows reaction time.Driving after dark in urban areas• Never drive with only the vehicle’s park lights on. Park lights are for when the vehicle is parked.• Drive a little more slowly after dark and increase the following distance to take into account thereduced visibility.• Use extra caution when judging distances after dark. Landmarks and reference points used during theday are more difficult to see after dark.• Help reduce the effect of headlight glare and associated temporary blindness by focusing to the rightside or edge of the roadway while an oncoming vehicle passes.• Reduce the amount of glare from headlights behind by flipping the inside rear view mirror to thenight driving setting.Coach’s Tips• Teach the new driver to watch for objects that reflect the light of the headlights. This givesadvanced warning of danger or the need to stop or slow down. Examples include roadsigns, reflective striping or lane markings, a piece of metal or glass on the road and the eyesof an animal.• In urban areas, traffic signals and signs are harder to see at night against a background ofneon lights, street lights, other signs and lit store windows.74