Are you one of the many motorists that do not like driving at night? It makes sense. Visibility is diminished as your depth perception is not as good and it’s more difficult to distinguish color. In addition to that, there’s always the threat of another car’s high beams blinding you, which can be downright scary. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it’s more dangerous to drive at night in general. The rate of fatalities on the road at night is three times higher than at daytime despite the higher traffic during the day time hours.

Now that we’re in the winter months and the days are getting shorter, you will likely end up driving at night more often than you may have been previously used to. Here are several things to keep in mind to stay safe out there on the road in the evening hours:

Adjust Your Gaze When Looking at Oncoming Lights: You see a bright light coming from the opposite lane. It looks like that the car has its high beams on, but you’re not quite sure. You unconsciously keep looking at the lights. This is not a good idea. Aside from this distracting you, it may cause your eyes to become immediately tired leading to blurred vision.

Don’t Speed: Did you know that the average low beam provides visibility up to 160 ft. If you’re driving at a high speed, it could take 200 ft. to stop safely. Maintain a law-abiding speed and don’t drive aggressively as you might have to make a quick decision for something that your lights haven’t yet illuminated.

Stay Alert: An eTags post provides good information on how to stay alert on the road at night. It suggests that you maintain constant eye movement to retain alertness. And if you feel tired, you may want to stop for a quick rest and get up, walk around, and maybe even grab a cup of coffee.