Driving on a street is contrastingly different from driving in a tunnel. Tunnels are underground passages where conditions like visibility or speed limit are different as compared to when you are driving on a street. Therefore, there are certain things you need to keep in mind when driving in a tunnel. Here, we take a look at how to drive in a tunnel and the helpful tunnel driving tips.
Tips to Drive in a Tunnel
Due to the benefits it enjoys over bridges, traffic authorities give preference to constructing more tunnels than bridges. UAE too boasts tunnels like Al Sidra tunnel, Al Saqab tunnel, Al Rogh tunnel, Al Ghazeer tunnel, and Al Sahah tunnel. To drive in a tunnel, these tunnel driving tips are going to be handy. So, let’s go through these tunnel driving tips.
Pay attention to the warning signs
Like investing in a car with maximum safety features or not driving alone can help you overcome road anxiety, these tunnel driving tips will help you overcome tunnel anxiety. Before entering into the tunnel, there is a tunnel warning sign at some distance before the tunnel to prepare the driver beforehand in overcoming tunnel anxiety. Our eyes take time to adapt from the bright light outside to drastically less light inside the tunnel.
Tunnel sign warns the drivers that there is a tunnel ahead.
To make up for this, the warning sign alerts the driver that there is a tunnel ahead so they can prepare themselves accordingly and take all the precautions like slowing the vehicle down prior to entering the tunnel. If you drive, you would have undoubtedly learned about tunnel sign and other traffic signs because knowledge of these signs is tested when you apply for the driving licence.
Overtaking in a tunnel
Whether you can overtake in a tunnel or not depends on the number of lanes in the tunnel and the direction of the flow of traffic. Overtaking is prohibited in tunnels unless there is more than one lane for traffic flowing in one direction. If there is two-way traffic, you cannot approach from behind and pass a vehicle travelling in the same direction. Overtaking is permitted in a tunnel if there are two or more lanes travelling in the same direction. However, you need to do it cautiously and adjust car mirrors accordingly so you can have an unobstructed view of other cars in the tunnel.
Making the necessary light adjustments
The majority of the tunnels have lighting, however, artificial light does not have the same effect as daylight. Therefore, you need to make the necessary light adjustments for your visibility. The two bright lights found in vehicles are full beam headlights and dipped headlights.
Although full-beam headlights allow better visibility, they can temporarily blind other drivers. Therefore, it is recommended to turn on dipped headlights instead which illuminate the pathway without blocking someone’s vision. Considering the importance of car lights, you need to make sure that all of them are functioning properly. Also, avoid wearing sunglasses when driving in a tunnel as it can obscure your view.
Parking in a tunnel
Places like tunnels or highways are considered as no-stopping zones. Unless your car breaks down or there is an accident inside the tunnel, do not stop or park inside the tunnels. In case of an emergency, turn on the hazard lights to notify the other drivers. Pullover your car to a place such that it does not block the flow of traffic.
Exiting the tunnel
Like our eyes take time to adjust from light to darkness, adjusting from darkness to bright light also takes time. Therefore, when you are exiting the tunnel, you need to prepare yourself to acclimatize to the normal driving conditions.
When driving inside a tunnel or places with dim lighting, it is essential that your car’s lights are working properly. If your car’s headlights are not working properly, you can check out different headlights for sale in the UAE on dubizzle. In addition, dubizzle also has a large variety of used cars for sale in the UAE. For more tips and tutorials related to automobiles and the automotive industry, stay tuned to UAE’s leading auto blog.
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