Nighttime driving becomes demanding due to many external and internal factors. To overcome the internal factors to some extent, many people use high quality night driving glasses. You can find these glasses at many stores like Overnight Glasses, Dollger, Bircen, etc.
The biorhythms of our body are in contrast with our activities, due to which our visibility decreases and we get tired easily. These obstacles make nighttime driving a challenge. You need to be vigilant, adaptive and focused in this challenging situation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declares that fatal accidents are three times more likely to happen at night than during the day.
There are some Dos and Don’ts of nighttime driving which could make your journey safe. It is essential that you become aware of them to get ready to undertake the risk of nighttime driving.
1) Deal with Glare to Avoid Danger
The recent LED and High-Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights have increased glare for the oncoming drivers from the opposite lane. These powerful lights cause discomfort from two types of glare. The first kind makes the oncoming driver wince and avert their gaze. The second is disability glare which blocks objects from the driver’s view. This type is more dangerous.
Nighttime drivers should avoid looking directly at the glare or the lights. Also, slow down your vehicle to stay safe. It’s best if you keep your eyes on the edge of the road or at the lane markers until that car passes.
2) Keep Your Windshield and Lights Clean
A dirty windshield makes it even harder to see at night. It creates visual distortions, resulting in hot spots and decreased vision levels. It is advisable to give it another quick cleaning before you head out in your car at night.
Headlight coating with dirt and grime should also be regularly cleaned with care. Any kind of coating, whether ice or snow, decreases headlight brightness to 80%. Decreased brightness can compromise your visibility reach, especially if the road is also poorly lit. This could jeopardize your safety on the road at night.
Also, sometimes your headlight lens gets yellowed with age. This makes it very difficult to see. You should replace or get the yellowed lens repaired urgently. A replacement is a much better option than restoring if it is within your budget.
3) Don’t Leave Your Headlights Misaligned
Many times, the headlights become misaligned over time or due to a minor accident. This could affect where your headlights aim. You can find out how to aim your vehicle’s headlight through the car owner’s manual. You could either do it yourself or get expert help from a car dealer or repair shop.
4) Don’t Put Off Your Eyecare
Having vision problems can worsen the risk of nighttime driving. This would cause the glare to be strong and make your nighttime visibility low to dangerous levels.
Eyecare is necessary. Get your regular checkup done so that you may know when you develop eye issues like cataracts. Also, these eye examinations can detect any problems that you are having with your contact lenses.
Your safety on the road at night may also depend on the health of your eye, so don’t ignore it.
5) Remember to Keep Blinking
Although it may sound funny, you should be mindful of performing the involuntary actions of your body, like blinking. Blinking is important while driving as it will keep your eyes moisturized during the driving period.
Moreover, blinking becomes even more critical if you are wearing contact lenses. Also, keep the interior vents of your car out of your eye to eliminate the danger of drying them out.
6) Lubricate Your Eye to Avoid Dry-Eye
Drivers older than 45 or 50 years of age may experience dry eye symptoms. This problem worsens with age. For keeping it at bay, use eye lubricants right before your driving trip in the dark. Also, it is advisable to keep it handy during the drive so that it is easier for you to pull over and lubricate your eye again when needed.
7) Don’t Wear Colored Eyeglass-Lenses
A thousand different eyeglasses have been discovered by now. There are reading glasses, glasses for playing sports and those for driving. All these glasses have been claimed to enhance vision and improve the view.
However, sometimes, this is not the case. For example, colored eyeglasses have been known to help drivers see more clearly at night. But end up giving the opposite results. According to some specialists, colored lenses should not be worn while driving, especially not at night. That’s because the tint makes it challenging to see not only the traffic signals and road signs but also the pedestrians.
8) Don’t Keep Your Cabin Illuminated
The brighter the car’s cabin, the harder it is to see. The glare from instrument cluster lights forces your pupils to dilate and thus blocks most of the view. You are then unable to see not only the road but also the map and the instructions you need in order to reach your destination. Keep your interior light settings as well as cabin illumination low to drive safely.
