Headlight glare is now on the forefront of research by the National Traffic Safety Institute as it is a leading cause of nighttime crashes. It greatly reduces the drivers ability to see and react appropriately. Most of the time this glare comes from another vehicle in front or behind the drivers vehicle. Headlight glare greatly reduces ones ability to see safely at night. According to a study by the AAA traffic safety foundation: It takes a typical driver 10 seconds to recover from headlight glare situations, and this time increases as we age. At 60 miles an hour, a car can travel about a quarter mile in 10 seconds. Basically that means that upon having seen this headlight glare we will travel a quarter of a mile with greatly reduced vision and safety. This is where the danger and increased risk of car accidents can and does occur. It is also proven that these accidents due to glare from headlights result in more serious injuries and fatalities. Here are some ways to reduce glare for both yourself and for other drivers. 1) When you are experiencing direct and blinding forward glare, look to the side of the road instead. Most roads have a white line which is on the right side of the lane. Keep your eyes on this and you will stay on the road and reduce the glares effect on you and your driving. Also, slow down. It is better to be safe than sorry. 2) Quickly adjust or correct your mirrors so the glare is redirected away from you. This is important as some mirrors actually magnify or increase the glares effect and brightness. The easiest thing to do is just push your mirrors down. You can always readjust them later. 3) Keep your windshield clean. Dirty windshields and windows will make it much harder to see and actually add to the glares intensity. It is a good idea to make sure your windows are clean before every drive. 4) Dirty or worn headlights will reduce your visibility. According to Road & Travel magazine, your night vision can be reduced by as much as 90% by dirty headlights. It is important to have clean headlights. If your headlights are worn, yellow or cloudy, get t them either replace them or restore them. There are headlight lens cleaning kits available now over the internet and they will save you money. Worn or cloudy headlights lower light output and redirect the light that is emitted making you a hazard to other drivers and yourself. I can't say this enough, if you have worn or cloudy headlights either get them restored professionally, do it your self with a headlight cleaning kit, or get them replaced. Remember headlight glare is a killer and by following the above tips you can greatly reduce your risks of a night time crash from it. |
