Night driving — Alabama Permit Test

Approximately half the fatal motor vehicle crashes in Alabama happen during the hours of darkness, even though traffic is light then.

Darkness cuts how far and how well you can see, so the same mistakes are far more deadly at night.

Approximately half the fatal motor vehicle crashes in Alabama occur during the hours of darkness.

Never drive so fast that you cannot stop within the distance you can see ahead with your lights; high beams normally light the road about 350 feet under normal conditions.

If something is in the road past the reach of your lights, you will not see it in time to stop.

Headlights on high beam normally illuminate the roadway about 350 feet UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS.

You must dim your headlights when within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle.

High beams blind an oncoming driver, who could then crash into you.

You must dim your headlights when within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 200 feet when following another vehicle.

You must dim your headlights when within 200 feet of a vehicle you are following.

Bright lights reflect off the mirrors of the car ahead and dazzle its driver.

You must dim your headlights when within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 200 feet when following another vehicle.

If you dim your headlights and the oncoming driver does not, keep yours dimmed anyway; blinding the other driver proves nothing and endangers you.

Two blinded drivers are more dangerous than one.

If, after you depress yours, and the other driver fails to do so, keep yours depressed anyway.

State law requires headlights, not just parking lights, from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise, and whenever you cannot see clearly for at least 500 feet.

Headlights help you see and also let other drivers see you in dim light.

According to state law, headlights (not parking lights only) must be turned on from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise and during other periods of limited visibility when you cannot see clearly for at least 500 feet.

Headlights are also required whenever visibility is limited so that you cannot see clearly for at least 500 feet.

Rain, smoke or fog in daylight can hide your car as well as darkness can.

According to state law, headlights (not parking lights only) must be turned on from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise and during other periods of limited visibility when you cannot see clearly for at least 500 feet.

As a general rule, if you are in doubt about whether lights are needed, turn them on low beam.

Lights help others see you even when you think you can see well enough.

As a general rule, if you are in doubt as to when lights are needed, turn them on low beam.

Reduce glare from oncoming lights by looking away from them, toward the right-hand edge of the pavement and the white edge line.

Looking straight into bright lights leaves you blind for a moment after they pass.

This is done by looking to the right-hand edge of the pavement and concentrating on the white striped line.

In a night emergency, pull well off the highway, turn on your four-way flashers and raise the hood, and stay with the car if possible until help comes.

A car well off the road with its flashers on is seen by others and is safer to wait in.

Activate four-way flashers and raise hood.

If you must become a pedestrian at night, carry a light and walk on the left edge of the road or shoulder, facing traffic.

Facing traffic lets you see cars coming and step out of their way.

If you MUST become a pedestrian, carry a light and walk on the left edge of the road or shoulder FACING the traffic.

If you have flares or reflectors, place them from 100 to 500 feet to the rear of your vehicle on the right-hand edge of the highway to warn other traffic.

Warnings placed well back give drivers time to slow before they reach your car.

If you have flares or reflectors, place them from 100 to 500 feet to the rear of your vehicle on the right hand edge of the highway to warn other traffic.

Excessive speed is more dangerous at night because you can see only as far as your headlights reach, and at high speeds that does not give enough stopping distance.

A deer or a crash can appear at the edge of your lights with no room left to stop.

You can see only as far as your headlights carry, and at high speeds this does not give you sufficient stopping distance.

About what share of Alabama's fatal crashes happen in the hours of darkness?

About half. Darkness cuts how far and how well you can see, so the same mistakes are far more deadly at night. Alabama Driver Manual, p.69: “Approximately half the fatal motor vehicle crashes in Alabama occur during the hours of darkness.”