Do you have employees that drive at night for their job? A driver’s field of vision can be narrowed to include only areas illuminated by headlights and fixed road lights. Depth perception and peripheral vision can be compromised.
Body-clock disruption can lead to drowsy driving. The ability to sustain attention, see and react to hazards dips when drivers are drowsy. In a National Safety Council survey, one in five working Americans admitted to falling asleep while driving in the past month.
As fall is now upon us, employees will be driving more in the dark for activities such as fall festivals and Halloween activities. This is a great time to talk to them about night driving.
Post these night driving safety tips on your bulletin board or other internal channels to help keep your employees safe:
- Adjust your speed for the range of your headlights; use high beams when possible
- Keep your eyes moving
- Watch for cars and people on hilltops, curves and approaching intersections
- Try not to look directly into the headlights of oncoming traffic; blinding glare can cause distraction
- Keep windshields and headlight lenses clean
— Lisa Robinson is a senior program manager with the National Safety Council