Driving at night is a different experience from driving during the day. You can see less, judging speed and distance is harder, glare from headlights and streetlights gets in the way, and you're more likely to feel tired. It's also a skill every NSW learner needs: if you're under 25, at least 20 of your 120 log book hours must be driven at night. This guide covers the rules, the techniques and the habits that make night driving safer.
Why night driving is harder
- Less visibility. Your headlights only light up part of the road, so hazards appear later.
- Harder to judge speed and distance. Without daylight, it's difficult to tell how far away a vehicle is or how fast it's travelling.
- Glare. Oncoming headlights, high beams and wet roads can dazzle you for a moment.
- Fatigue. Your body naturally wants to sleep at night, which slows your reactions.
- Harder-to-see road users. Pedestrians, cyclists and animals are much harder to spot in the dark.
Using your headlights correctly
- Turn your headlights on from sunset to sunrise, and any time visibility is poor, such as in heavy rain or fog.
- Use high beam on dark, unlit roads to see further ahead.
- Dip to low beam when you're within 200 metres of an oncoming vehicle, or of a vehicle you're following. This is a road rule in NSW.
- Keep your headlights, tail lights and indicators clean and working, and check them regularly.
Dealing with glare
- Don't look directly at oncoming headlights. Look towards the left edge of your lane until the vehicle has passed.
- Switch your rear-view mirror to its night setting, if it has one, to reduce glare from vehicles behind you.
- Keep your windscreen clean inside and out. A dirty or smeared windscreen makes glare much worse.
- Slow down if you're dazzled, and give yourself time to recover your vision.
Adjusting your driving
- Drive at a speed that lets you stop within the distance you can see in your headlights.
- Increase your following distance. Keep at least a 3-second gap to the vehicle in front, and more on unlit or wet roads.
- Scan constantly. Look well ahead, check your mirrors often and watch the edges of the road for pedestrians, cyclists and animals.
- Take extra care at intersections and pedestrian crossings, where people can step out of the shadows.
- Be ready for impaired or tired drivers, especially late at night and on weekends.
Staying alert
- Get enough sleep before a long night drive.
- Take a break at least every two hours, and pull over somewhere safe as soon as you feel drowsy.
- Warning signs include yawning, heavy eyelids, drifting in your lane and not remembering the last few kilometres.
- Coffee and fresh air only help for a short time. The only real cure for fatigue is sleep.
Rules for learners and P-platers at night
- Learners under 25 must record at least 20 hours of night driving in their log book before their driving test.
- P1 drivers under 25 can carry no more than one passenger under 21 between 11pm and 5am, unless they have an exemption.
- Learner, P1 and P2 drivers can't use a mobile phone at all while driving, day or night.
Frequently asked questions
How many night driving hours do learners need in NSW?
If you're under 25, at least 20 of your 120 log book hours must be driven at night.
When do you have to dip your headlights in NSW?
Dip to low beam when you're within 200 metres of an oncoming vehicle, or of a vehicle you're following.
How do you deal with glare from oncoming headlights?
Don't look directly at the headlights. Look towards the left edge of your lane until the vehicle has passed, keep your windscreen clean inside and out, and slow down if you're dazzled.
Are there night-time passenger limits for P-platers?
P1 drivers under 25 can carry no more than one passenger under 21 between 11pm and 5am, unless they have an exemption.
Building your night driving confidence
Start with short drives on familiar streets, then build up to busier roads, highways and unlit areas. Driving at dusk is a good way to ease into it. A lesson with a professional instructor as it gets dark, especially in the winter months, is a great way to build these skills, because you'll get feedback on headlight use, glare, speed and scanning that's hard to get anywhere else.
If you're under 25, each hour with a licensed NSW driving instructor counts as 3 hours in your log book, for up to 10 hours of lessons. That's up to 20 bonus hours.
See our driving lesson prices or book a lesson with Prestige, Sydney's multi-award-winning driving school.