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Night driving
is
more dangerous than day driving. One reason
is
that
some drivers are likely to be impaired -- by alcohol or drugs, with night
vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
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Drive defensively. Remember, this is the most dangerous time.
Don't drink and drive. (See "Drunken Driving" in the Index for more
on this problem.)
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
Since you can't see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles. It's hard to tell how fast the
vehicle ahead is going just by looking at its taillights.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older
these differences increase. A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice
as much light to see the same thing
at
night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For
example, if you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear
sunglasses. Your eyes will have
less
trouble adjusting to night.
But if you're driving, don't wear sunglasses at night. They
may cut down
on glare from headlights, but they also make a lot
of things invisible that
should remain visible - such as parked cars, obstacles, pedestrians, or
even trains blocking railway crossings. You may want to put on your
sunglasses after you have pulled into a brightly-lighted service or
refreshment area. Eyes shielded from that glare may adjust more quickly
to darkness back on the road. But be sure to remove your sunglasses
before you leave the service area.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It can take a
second or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the
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