As the days continue to become shorter and the darkness of the evening creeps up progressively earlier each day, the dangers of driving with limited visibility can increase. The end of daylight savings is here and with the time change comes an even earlier onset of dusk. Keeping yourself and your family safe during the winter months is essential and many drivers are on the lookout for the best driving safety tips to remind them each season of some of the things they can do to remain safe on the road. As much as we love gaining new customers, seeing you and your family in danger is not something we like at Badell’s Collision.
Inspect Your Vehicle
In order to avoid any unwanted trips to our body shop, you can prepare your car ahead of time when you know that you will be driving in darkness. A thorough inspection of all the lights on your vehicle can help you avoid any scary situations. When you are traveling in low light, it can be startling to realize that your headlights are not functioning properly. If you need to, have dim or broken lights replaced so that you can be sure that you will have the best visibility possible on your car.
Get Adequate Sleep
The daylight savings time change is notorious for messing up everyone’s biological clocks. Losing an hour of sleep on the day that the clocks are turned back an hour can mean that you might be a little bit drowsier than usual on your drive home from work. Because you will probably know when to expect daylight savings time to occur, you can be sure to go to bed an extra hour early. Avoiding drowsy driving is very important, as many accidents can happen when you are tired and unable to pay attention as well as you would normally. If possible, you may want to even take a short cat nap so that you are adequately energized for your commute home.
Keep it Slow
One of the most common driving safety tips is to drive slowly. This is especially important when you are driving in low visibility. It’s tempting when you are coming home from a long day at work to want to get there as quickly as possible, but your family will thank you if you make it home in one piece and avoid having to go to the car body shop for a repair due to an accident caused by speeding. Make sure that you are not only driving slower, but that you keep your distance from the other vehicles around you. The proper amount of distance will give you enough time to react to whatever another driver may do.
Watch for Pedestrians
Even though the end of daylight savings means that it will be getting darker earlier, many people will still want to continue their exercise routines in the evening after work. Bike riders, joggers, and walkers will likely still be out and about while you drive home, so you will want to be extra careful and alert to the pedestrians on the side of the road. Don’t forget to yield and be extra cautious at each and every crosswalk. Pedestrians that are exercising often use headphones for music, so they may not hear you approaching from behind.
Additionally, be sure to keep alert to deer and other animals which may cross the street.
Plan Ahead
One of the most important and often underused driving safety tips is to plan ahead before you travel. Many people drive the same route home every night and think that they don’t have to worry about anything different happening on the way. Being prepared for anything that could possibly occur can keep you from having to go to the car body shop. Know what kinds of weather conditions to expect and plan you trip accordingly, as the fall season can often experience some drastic changes in temperature and precipitation.
Mark Your Calendar
Daylight Savings time ends at 2:00 AM on Sunday, November 5th. Mark your calendars, drive safely, and remember that Badell’s Collision is here for you for any auto damage – big or small.
Read about the New DUI Laws in Pennsylvania which went into effect in December 2018.
Badell’s Collision has proudly served Chester and Delaware Counties with outstanding collision repairs since 2003. With locations in Aston and Malvern, we’re prepared to provide you with exceptional service no matter what kind of damage your car has endured. Stop by one of our shops or use our simple online estimate form. We look forward to helping you!
