Finding The Perfect Car

The Top 4 Night Driving Safety Features To Look For When Buying A New Car

3 June 2016 by Julian Moya

Does your commute take place entirely during the evening hours thanks to your graveyard shift job? Driving at night puts you at three times the risk to get into a deadly collision, but buying a new car equipped with the right safety equipment could dramatically reduce those risks and keep you safe. Make sure the next vehicle you purchase features at least one of these four essential night driving safety tools, all of which are standard or optional on most new cars.

Drowsiness Alerts

It only takes a few seconds of closing your eyes for you to drift out of your lane and into the path of a speeding semi-truck. Cars equipped with drowsiness alerts monitor your driving for drifting and lane changes without signaling. If the car thinks you're dozing off, it'll use a loud alarm or vibrate your seat to wake you up before a crash occurs. Find a dealership that has a track or lot for private test drives to give the feature a spin before committing to a specific model. If you find that a vibrating seat isn't enough to wake you up and only a loud alarm works, it's good to know that before you need the equipment in a life-or-death situation.

Anti-Glare Mirrors and Windshields

The most wide awake night driver can still end up in a ditch if the headlights of oncoming traffic blind them by causing glare in across the windshield or in the rearview mirror. With the addition of high-tech films, many new cars now boast anti-glare mirrors and windshields so you don't have to worry about someone forgetting to switch off their high beams on a lonesome stretch of road.

Active Headlights

You can't swerve around a deer or other obstacle in the road if you don't see it in time to slow down and react. Active or responsive headlights swivel as you turn your steering wheel, giving you a much longer view of the road when you're going into a tight curve or another area with limited visibility.

Blind Spot Alarms

As with drowsiness alert systems, there are many options for tracking what's in your blind spots and not all equipment works equally well for all drivers. Darkness makes it impossible to use standard backup and blind spot cameras, but there are models available with night vision modes to give you a clear view despite a lack of light. Your car dealer likely also has plenty of models equipped with basic blind spot alarms since this technology has been available longer than bumper mounted cameras. These alarms work regardless of light levels, although they don't give you as much information about what obstacle is in your way.

For more information on the available options on cars for sale in your area, check with dealers in your area.

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