1970s stock footage - driving safely at night 2

headlight should also be dimmed when an animal or pedestrian is cited on a rural road and speed should be reduced to prepare for evasive action and confuse them and cause them to enter the path of your vehicle actually blinding glare is one of the main hazards of nighttime driving that make it necessary for us to modify our normal daytime driving techniques especially the blinding headlight glare from oncoming Vehicles we should drive in the lane that separates us most from approaching traffic we should focus our attention on the right hand edge of the roadway beyond the oncoming vehicle to avoid the bright glare of his headlights it takes our eyes at least 7 Seconds to readjust after passing a pair of brilliant headlights we actually travel for a distance when we are effectively blind [Music] if an oncoming driver doesn't dim his lights don't retaliate keep your lights on low beam slow down and focus your attention to the right side using the road Edge or pavement Edge stripe as your guide steer toward the right to avoid the natural tendency to drive toward oncoming lights when partially blinded by [Music] them when weather conditions are bad blinding glar is even more of a hazard visibility through the windshield is greatly reduced images become distorted and hard to recognize and remember the drivers ahead of you behind you and approaching you may be having difficulty in seene too a dirty windshield both inside and outside can also be treacherous not only is visibility reduced but Road oils smoke dirt and car wash wax can cause intense glare and Distortion of the clues we look for to help us drive safely with limited visibility You Can't See Clearly everything you need to see to drive safely and the effectiveness of your headlights are greatly reduced there are other ways in which we can help to avoid glare while driving at night when being followed by a vehicle with bright lights switch the daylight rear view mirror to the night position and avoid looking directly into the mirror avoid using the dome light the map light or flash lights within the car adjust the instrument panel lights to a lower intensity leaving it just bright enough to read the critical instruments sunglasses or tinted glasses should never be worn from early dust to Sunrise our daytime driving habits have to be modified if we are to drive safely at nighttime during the daylight hours our eyes scan a wide area in front and toward the oncoming traffic every action far ahead can be quickly seen and recognized at nighttime the scanning pattern of our eyes is different we focus closer to the car and to the right side of the road we no longer have the wide Clear Vision and contrast of color we must concentrate on watching for dark objects and Shadow movements in and beside the road especially the unexpected objects which we see only half as well as familiar or expected objects in urban areas with the conflicting glare of signs and lights it is even more difficult to see hazards or pedestrians in and along the roadway speed should be reduced and the road in the curbside watched of the unlit pedestrians and [Music] objects there there are Road AIDs that have been designed to give us quickly recognized Clues and guides for safer nighttime driving it's important that we learn what these AIDS are meant to tell us aids to channel us into a safe driving pattern Lane markers to guide us on multiple Lane highways and pavement Edge markings to define the right edge of roadways and many of the disadvantages of night driving we can make up for ourselves by modifying our driving techniques to condition of limited visibility nighttime is a time to drive more slowly than we would under similar circumstances during daylight it's a time to dim your lights for others and avoid the glare of their headlights by focusing on the right side of the roadway at night it's even more important to be certain that headlights and windshield are clean it's a time to know and use the special Road AIDs that are designed to guide you when you're limited to the visibility provided by your headlights the time to modify your driving techniques habits and know the additional actions that are required when driving at [Music] night