Because it’s winter time, you’ve probably been able to tell that the days become shorter and the nights become longer. But despite this change, your driving schedule isn’t likely changing. With that in mind, it’s even more important that you drive safely at night. While driving is something that should be as easy as making yourself coffee in the morning, it’s easy to forget some simple advice while you’re on the road. Here are some tips, just to serve as simple reminders so that you can drive safely when the sun sets…

• Get your headlights checked, or replace them when necessary: Most people on the road can’t see their own headlights once they turn them on. Because of this, we suggest that you check your headlights every three months in order to ensure that they are bright enough and working properly. Not only will this help you avoid a ticket, but will ultimately help you and others on the road.
• Dim the lights in your car: Some cars, despite their amazing and highly technical features, have particularly bright and blinding dashboard lights when you turn your headlights on. If you’re driving in the dark, the excess light can become an issue for your overall ability to see the road. If this is the case, we suggest dimming your dashboard lights to a level setting that’s not only comfortable for you, but will still let you see everything that you need to on the dashboard.

Take your sunglasses off: The law in Arizona is that you must turn your headlights on when it becomes “dusk.” But even when the sun is setting, you might think to yourself that you still don’t need to turn your headlights on or take your sunglasses off. Wrong. Take them off when dusk hits, just to serve as an extra precaution.