How to Drive Safer at Night: 9 Hacks Anyone Can Use

As winter approaches, the days grow shorter and darkness takes over our travels. Driving at night can be challenging because less natural light makes it harder to see potential obstacles. To stay safe on the road, it’s important to adjust your driving habits and take extra precautions when you’re out and about after dark.

Simply put, it’s harder to see in low light. Other issues make things worse, like headlight glare and interior cabin lighting.

In the US they have newer vehicles brighter headlightscausing more glare and after pictures. Technology like LED lights and laser emitters make driving on the road at night akin to a strobe light.

Some drivers have an inherently harder time adjusting to low light, such as older people and anyone with vision problems such as nearsightedness, astigmatism or glaucoma.

9 tips for safer driving at night

Fortunately, there are some simple ways to reduce vision problems when driving in the dark.

Keep your windshield clean to reduce glare

Glare can increase when your windshield is dirty, as dirt scatters light. Certain treatments, such as rain repellent, can also increase the glare on your windshield at night. Keep your windshield as clear as possible to reduce glare and improve visibility. AAA says A dirty windshield can also limit or obstruct your field of vision, and it is recommended to clean your windshield at least once a week.

Keep your headlights clean

The Mayo Clinic says you can also help increase visibility by making sure your lights are free of dirt and debris. Checking for clean headlights is especially important if you live in a dusty region or are in an area where bug bites are common.

Use high beams when necessary

Be sure to use high beams on country roads near woods or fields, and as National Security Council recommended, on longer or wider road sections. High beams can help you see deer in these cases, but avoid using high beams in bad weather such as rain or fog, as this can reduce visibility. Turn off your high beams when going uphill or around bends to avoid shining your high beams in the eyes of other drivers.

Do not look directly at the headlights

It may be instinctive to look directly at the flash of oncoming headlights coming over a hill or around a corner, but practice looking away. Looking at bright lights can temporarily impair your vision and can leave afterimages, making it difficult to see when a vehicle passes.

Check headlight alignment during car inspection

The Mayo Clinic also recommends working with your mechanic to ensure the headlights are aimed correctly. Wear and tear on your car can cause misalignment, and some cars are manufactured with misaligned headlights. US law does not require manufacturers to test alignment after installing headlights, according to NBC News. The result can be a devastating glare for other nighttime drivers, plus reduced visibility for you.

Dim the interior lights

Interior lights should always be turned off or dimmed when driving at night. They make your eyes more accustomed to light, which can reduce your night vision (our eyes usually take a few minutes to adjust until dark). If your interior lights are on to help you (or a passenger) see something in your vehicle, it can add to existing distractions. Interior lights are also another source of light that bounces off your windshield.

Keep your glasses clean

Like dirt on your windshield, smudges on your glasses can scatter light and increase glare problems. Make sure you clean your glasses properly, using an eyeglass cloth, warm water or mild dish soap without moisturizer, according to Heartland Optical. Wiping your glasses on your shirt can be a common practice, it can also lead to additional dirt and scratches on the lenses, further blurring your vision.

Read more: https://www.cnet.com/health/personal-care/best-places-to-buy-glasses-online/ The best places to buy glasses online

Wear the right glasses

Keep up with those optician appointments so your doctor can confirm you’re carrying the correct prescription. Also, you can look anti-reflective lenseswhich have a coating that reduces reflected light. Avoid glasses styles that interfere with peripheral vision.

Other options include night driving goggleswhich usually have yellow lenses designed to reduce headlight glare. Be sure to talk to your doctor before using them; some professionals think they might worsen night vision instead of better.

Read more: Are you squinting right now? It’s time to get your eyesight checked

Be careful to drive

Even small weather changes can leave us feeling left behind. Daylight saving time can throw off your circadian rhythm (that internal clock that tells you when to go to bed and when to stay up), according to Northwestern medicineand fatigue can lead to blurred vision.

Adjusting to the end of summer time it can help you be more careful when driving. Check out our guide to recalibrating your internal alarm clock.