What should you do when entering a tunnel?
4 Answers
Pay attention to signs carefully and reduce speed for slow driving. 1. Turn on lights in advance and maintain distance before entering the tunnel: When approaching the tunnel, there will be signs reminding you to turn on your vehicle lights, but you must use low beams instead of high beams. Also maintain a driving distance of more than 100 meters to avoid accidents. 2. No lane changing or overtaking: Due to the dim lighting and narrow visibility range inside the tunnel, changing lanes or overtaking can easily lead to accidents. 3. Set air conditioning to internal circulation mode: The air inside tunnels is highly polluted, especially in longer tunnels where vehicle exhaust accumulates and cannot be discharged. Turning on internal circulation prevents polluted tunnel air from entering the vehicle.
Slow down and turn on your lights 100 meters before entering a tunnel. Experienced drivers know tunnel entrances are accident-prone zones. I always reduce speed below 80 km/h in advance, maintain distance from the car ahead, and allow a few seconds for eyes to adjust to light changes - never slam brakes during this transition. Remember to remove sunglasses, otherwise you'll be completely blind entering the tunnel. Most crucially, make yourself visible to following vehicles - daytime running lights aren't sufficient, low beams must be activated (fog lights as needed). Never change lanes inside tunnels where emergency braking reaction time is dangerously short. Avoid honking in traffic jams - the echo is unbearable. The same principles apply when exiting: anticipate blinding light, decelerate early, and ease onto the throttle while your eyes readjust.
As a safety officer, I emphasize three key points for tunnel driving: visibility, distance, and lighting. Before entering the tunnel, turn on the low beam headlights and close the windows to prevent noise from distracting you. Maintain a safe following distance of at least 50 meters, as most accidents in tunnels are rear-end collisions. In case of vehicle malfunction, try to drive out of the tunnel before handling the issue; if unable to move, immediately turn on the hazard lights, pull over to the right, place a warning triangle 150 meters behind the vehicle, and evacuate to the emergency walkway. Modern tunnels are equipped with escape indicators. If a fire is detected, press the alarm button on the wall and run in the upwind direction. It is recommended to keep a fluorescent vest in the trunk, as it can be lifesaving in critical moments.
We girls are most afraid of driving in dimly lit tunnels. Before entering or exiting a tunnel, I always switch the air conditioning to recirculation mode to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the car. I fold the vanity mirror in advance and adjust the rearview mirror angle downward to reduce glare from headlights behind me. I turn up the music volume slightly to block out echo interference. I switch my phone’s navigation to tunnel mode beforehand so I don’t panic if the signal drops. I once scolded a friend for filming videos in the tunnel—the dashcam is enough to record the footage. The moment exiting the tunnel is the most dangerous, as the sudden sunlight can be blinding. I usually wear a sun visor and sunglasses in advance, but I always remember to take them off before entering the tunnel.
