At night, what is a good driving practice?

• A. Increase speed to reach destination quicker
• B. Drive with high beams on all the time
• C. Keep your speed slow so you can stop within the range of your headlights
• D. Follow closely behind another vehicle

Answer: (C)

At night, visibility is reduced and the distance you can see ahead with your headlights is limited. The safest approach is to drive at a speed you can safely stop within the distance your headlights reveal. If you go faster, your stopping distance (which includes your reaction time and braking) can exceed what you can see, making a sudden hazard hard or impossible to stop for. Keeping a slower speed gives you enough time to notice hazards and react within the illuminated area.

Using high beams all the time isn’t safe because they can blind or dazzle other drivers, and you should switch to low beams when there’s oncoming traffic or when you’re close behind another vehicle. Following too closely reduces your available stopping distance and your chance to react to sudden changes.