Most people recognize that visibility is limited while driving at night, but just how much does that reduced sight impact your risk of a crash? According to researchers and safety experts, your risk of experiencing an accident triple once the sun goes down. Use these nighttime driving safety tips to minimize your risk of a car crash when driving in the dark.
Staying Safe on the Road at Night
At night, depth perception, peripheral vision, and even color recognition are compromised. The glare of oncoming vehicles can temporarily blind you, leaving you vulnerable to sudden shifts in the road or animals that may cross your path. To make matters worse, high beams only increase your visibility slightly (to about 500 feet in front of you), and you cannot have them on when there is an oncoming vehicle.
These tips can help balance out the challenges of night driving:
- Dim your dashboard – By reducing the light inside your vehicle, you increase your visibility outside;
- Aim headlights correctly (and keep them clean) – Your headlights are your guide. Keep them clean and aim them correctly for optimal safety;
- Avoid looking at oncoming cars – Temporary blindness while driving can be dangerous! Avoid it by looking at the white line to your right when there is an oncoming vehicle. It will reduce the strain on your eyes, and ensure you can see your path of travel as the vehicle passes;
- Use anti-reflective glasses for night driving – Vision issues cannot be helped. You need your glasses to see. However, you can increase safety by purchasing anti-reflective glasses;
- Reduce your speed – Your decreased line of visibility severely impacts your reaction time. To balance this out, you will need to slow your speed; and
- Keep the windshield clean – Streaks and dust on your windshield can decrease visibility and may even cause glare when there are oncoming vehicles, so keep it clean.
Dealing with Compromised Night Vision
A lot of people struggle with compromised night vision. For some, it is simply a difficulty in seeing in low light conditions. For others, it is an extreme sensitivity to light. Either can be caused by age or an eye condition, such as cataracts or degenerative eye disease. Certain medications can also impact your ability to see at night. If you struggle with any of these issues, it is recommended that you:
- Avoid driving at night, whenever possible;
- Visit your eye doctor annually and request an eye exam;
- Limit any distractions in the vehicle;
- Ask your doctor about the potential side effects of any medications you take;
- Tae a driving course. You could learn something new and valuable; and
- Reduce your speed.
In an Accident? Contact Our Appleton Car Accident Lawyers
While night driving safety tips can reduce your overall chances of experiencing a car accident, nothing can eliminate the risk entirely. If you or someone you love has been injured, contact Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd. for assistance. Our skilled Green Bay car accident lawyers will work hard to ensure you get the compensation that you deserve. Call 920-739-7366 and schedule your free consultation with us today.
Source:
https://www.nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/night-driving