Now that summer time over, it's time to mentally prepare for less daylight and earlier darkness. One of the most important ways to prepare is to sharpen our driving skills and ensure that our vehicles are in good condition for driving at night. If you have eye condition it affects your vision, you should be especially vigilant.
To protect yourself, your passengers and fellow drivers, take a moment to read the following vital tips for driving at night.
A dirty windshield can make it difficult for you to see while driving, especially at night.
10 Tips for Safe Driving at Night
Here are some simple ways to reduce vision problems when driving at night.
1. Keep your windshield clean.
If your windshield is dirty, glare may increase as the dirt scatters the light. Certain treatments, such as rain protection, can also increase windshield glare at night. Keep your windshield as clear as possible to minimize glare and improve visibility. AAA says dirty windshield can also obstruct your field of vision, so it is recommended to clean your windshield at least once a week.
2. Keep your headlights clean.
You can improve your visibility by keeping your headlights free of dirt and debris. Checking that your headlights are clean is especially important if you live in a dusty area or frequently drive in areas where bugs are common.
3. Use high beams when necessary.
Be sure to use high beams on rural roads, near forests or fields, and also because National Security Council Recommended on longer or wider sections of road. In such cases, high beams can help you see deer, but avoid using high beams in rain or fog as they may reduce visibility. Turn off your high beams when driving uphill or around turns to avoid shining your high beams in the eyes of other drivers.
4. Don't look at the headlights.
It may be instinctive to look straight at the flash of oncoming headlights as they fly over a hill or around a corner, but practice looking away. Staring into bright headlights can temporarily impair your vision and can also leave afterimages that make it harder for you to see when a car passes by.
5. Check headlight alignment.
Mayo Clinic recommends checking with a mechanic to ensure the headlights are aimed correctly. Wear and tear on your vehicle can cause your headlights to misalign, and some vehicles are built with misaligned headlights. US law does not require manufacturers to check headlight alignment after installation. NBC News. The result can be devastating glare for other drivers at night, as well as reduced visibility for you.
Driving at night is difficult due to factors such as glare and visibility.
6. Dim the lights in the car.
When driving at night, the interior lights should always be switched off or dimmed. They cause your eyes to become accustomed to the light, which can impair your night vision (our eyes usually a few minutes get used to the dark). If the interior lights are turned on to help you or a passenger see inside your vehicle, it can exacerbate existing distractions. Interior lighting is also another source of light reflecting off the windshield.
7. Keep your glasses clean.
Like dirt on a windshield, smudges on glasses can scatter light and exacerbate glare problems. Clean your glasses properly, using a cloth specifically designed for glasses, warm water, or mild, non-moisturizing dish soap as recommended. Heartland Optical. Rubbing your glasses on your shirt may be a common practice, but it can also cause dirt and scratches to get on the lenses, further impairing your vision.
8. Wear the right glasses
Visit your eye doctor regularly so that your doctor can confirm that you wear glasses. the right recipe. You can also check out anti-glare lenseswhich have a coating that reduces light reflection. Avoid glasses that make peripheral vision difficult.
Other options include night driving glasseswhich usually have yellow lenses designed to reduce glare from headlights. However, be sure to consult your doctor before using them. Some experts believe they could compromise your night vision instead of improving it.
9. Be careful while driving.
Even small changes in time can make us feel jet lag. Daylight saving time may disrupt your circadian rhythm (the internal clock that tells you when to go to bed and when to go to bed), according to Northwestern Medicineand fatigue can lead to blurred vision.
10. Increase your following distance
When driving at night with limited visibility, it can be difficult to spot hazards on the road and react to them as quickly as during the day. Headlights only illuminate far ahead, and tired drivers are likely to be slower to react to unexpected obstacles.
Whether it's a deer running into the road or a large object falling from the back of another vehicle's truck, these obstacles can require drivers to quickly brake or turn to avoid hitting or damaging the vehicle. Increasing your following distance will give you more time to react and adjust if the driver in front of you needs to suddenly stop or swerve to avoid an obstacle.
