The unpredictable dangers of driving at night in Vietnam

Driving at night has many advantages, such as less traffic, cooler weather, more time for passengers... However, in addition to preparing for good health, such as getting enough sleep, usually about 6 hours of sleep before starting the journey, and resting after every 2 hours of continuous driving, drivers traveling at night also have to face many objective dangers.

Oncoming car lights

Many cars today are equipped with LED headlights and always turn them on like normal headlights, even though this is against the law. In fact, on Highway 1 from the Central region to the South or Highway 20, most trucks transporting goods at night are equipped with LED headlights and turn them on at full brightness.

Sedans or small passenger cars going in the opposite direction can hardly see their own road clearly, even though they "turn on their headlights" to warn oncoming vehicles, but trucks think they "don't have their headlights on" so they still shine their LED lights freely. Because they have to concentrate more on observing, avoiding the glare from oncoming vehicles will affect the driver's eyesight, concentrating more on observing and quickly getting tired, without knowing how to overcome the glare from oncoming vehicles.

Motorbikes/people crossing the road

Highways without lights often pose dangerous situations. Motorbikes without lights or reflectors are driven by habit. People crossing the road suddenly and running across on foot are all unpredictable situations.

The ability to stop a vehicle completely in front of an obstacle at a speed of over 60 km/h requires a fairly long braking distance, depending on the vehicle model. Therefore, focusing on observation, using headlights appropriately and judging the situation helps drivers move more safely at night. If it is difficult to observe, you should go very slowly, so that you can clearly see potential risks.

The car stopped on the roadside

In the case of lack of light and poor warning of stopping, vehicles parked along the road are the cause of many accidents at night. In this case, the driver needs to observe carefully, turn on the left turn signal to pass the stopped/parked vehicle, and at the same time warn the vehicle behind and the opposite vehicle about the obstacle on the roadside.

Bad Road/Rain/Fog

Dangerous weather conditions and potholed roads also affect safety when driving at night.. If it rains or is foggy, drivers must reduce speed, turn on fog lights and follow the right-hand lines. Rainy/foggy sections, steep slopes, and bad road surfaces pose many dangers.

Lack of concentration/Drowsiness

Normally, drivers will use stimulants such as tea, coffee or energy drinks to reduce drowsiness, however, if you use them when you start to lose concentration, the stimulants may not have time to wake you up. Drivers should choose a rest stop or gas station, a 15-minute nap is the best way to overcome drowsiness. More importantly, if you plan to travel at night, get enough sleep before departure.