By Dr. Martha Morrow
Driving at night is tough!!!
With the time change and driving home with it getting dark earlier, I was talking to my husband, Johnny Mack, about how tremendous a problem night driving is. I don’t care how good you can see (either with God-given sight, eyeglasses or contact lenses), it’s tough!
There are a few tips that hopefully will make your drives in the dark safer.
First, never look directly at an oncoming vehicle regardless of the type of headlights it has. If an oncoming vehicle’s headlights seem too bright, or if the driver does not dim their high beams, ease off the gas, try not to look directly at the car’s lights and maintain your position in your travel lane until the offending vehicle passes.
Secondly, keep your windshield clean. Dirt, streaks or fogged windshields can cause glare-reducing visibility.
Thirdly, adjust your lights. Use high beams when appropriate, but not in fog! Keep inside lights to a minimum. This reduces light you are not looking toward. Be considerate of others by dimming your high beam when there are oncoming cars or if you are behind a vehicle.
Also, slow down! Of course, obey traffic speed signs but also drive only as fast as you are able to bring your vehicle to a complete stop within the illumination of your headlights. Conditions of the road most definitely need to be considered, such as rain, snow or ice.
Remember to blink! Increased concentration can reduce blink rate which can cause (or make worse) dry eyes. This causes more glare! Aim air vents away from your face, as this dries out the eyes excessively.
There are many causes of glare, which we will discuss at a future article, but if glare is an issue for you, anti-reflective lenses are beneficial.
Please be safe driving!
