Night and Adverse Weather Driving in Kenya

Most of the skill in night and bad-weather driving is simply seeing and being seen, and giving yourself more time. Kenyan roads add specific hazards: unlit rural stretches, bodas and pedestrians without reflectors, potholes hidden under rainwater, and thick fog on the escarpment sections of the Nairobi-Nakuru highway near Kijabe.

Use dipped headlights from dusk, at night, and in fog or heavy rain, and dip them for oncoming traffic so you do not dazzle other drivers. If you are dazzled, slow down and look towards the left edge of the road rather than the oncoming lights. Never drive faster than the distance your headlights let you see, a mistake called overdriving your headlights.

In rain and on wet or gravel roads, stopping distances grow, so at least double your following distance and brake earlier and more gently. During the long rains, roads in low-lying areas and parts of Nairobi flood quickly; do not drive through water when you cannot judge its depth. In fog, slow right down, use fog lights if fitted, and never speed up to escape a vehicle following too closely.