driver-qualification-handbook-english

2Some environmental hazards such as snow, ice and floods are obvious.Even a familiar road that you drive everyday presents greater risks in darkness orrain.Night drivingDriving at night brings particular challenges. For example, drivers are more likely tospeed at night as darkness helps mask many of the visual cues to speed and trafficmay also be lighter. While most crashes in NSW occur on dry roads in fine weatherand in daylight, severe speed-related crashes are common at night. Drivers out onthe roads at night are also more likely to have been drinking alcohol.Often night driving is for recreational purposes – unless you are a truck, bus oremergency vehicle driver. This means that people are more likely to be driving forenjoyment (eg going to clubs, restaurants,pubs and entertainment) in places thatthey may not be familiar with. They mayalso have more passengers in theirvehicles who may add to otherdistractions. For young male drivers italso increases the chances of risk takingand aggressive driving.Coping with adversedriving conditionsAs a driver, you can’t make it stopraining, make the fog lift, improve theroad surface or make it daylight. Youcan, however, manage your speed to giveyourself more time to detect and copewith hazards.You can also manage the space betweenyour vehicle and others (eg increase thegap between your vehicle and others tothe front and sides to give you more timeto brake or otherwise respond to hazardsthat might occur).Driver qualification handbook 61