Health Safety and Prevention Tips
Driving Safety at Night – Vision Tips
Though there is usually less traffic during nighttime hours, nearly half of all fatal traffic collisions in Minnesota occur after dark. This is because most drivers are not aware of the dramatic difference that darkness can make in their ability to cope with even the most normal driving situations. It causes a great deal of difference in the way that we see our surroundings. It can increase the normal feelings of weariness or fatigue that we experience when driving over long distances. And it makes us much more vulnerable to dangerous situations on the road.
Night Driving Needs Extra Care
One of the most important differences between day and night time driving conditions is the way in which we see our surroundings. We become completely dependent upon artificial sources of light to show us where we are. We are also much more sensitive to bright lights and other distractions on the road ahead.
Study Road Maps
For this reason, you should study road maps and other written directions carefully before starting out at night. Also, watch carefully for highway signs, pedestrians, animals, slow-moving vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles that may be on the road ahead of you. All of them are more difficult to see at night. If you have a passenger in the seat next to you, he or she can serve as a "second pair of eyes" for you. Have him/her keep a close watch for road signs and unexpected hazards on the road ahead.
Avoid Eye Fatigue
Eye fatigue is a particularly difficult problem when driving at night. To relieve this problem or prevent it from happening, keep your eyes moving...from side to side, near to far ahead, and so forth.
Keep Mirrors and Window Clean/Transparent
Keep all windows and mirrors in your vehicle clean and free of defects. They should never be clouded by frost or steam, or marred by large scratches or cracks.
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