Can Using Night Driving Glasses Really Help Reduce Night Driving Dangers?
Driving at night can be difficult for many drivers thanks to glare from headlights, sleepiness, and reduced depth perception.
Whether you drive at night for your job or you’re planning an overnight road trip, night driving glasses might be able to help.
Read on to learn more about the dangers of driving at night and how some eyewear could make things easier and safer when you’re on the road after sundown.
What Are the Dangers of Driving a Car at Night?
Besides the fact that it’s darker, there are plenty of other factors that make driving at night more dangerous than in the day. If you have trouble with your eyesight, driving in the dark can make it tougher to see the road, the lines in the road, and even other vehicles.
Glare from oncoming headlights can also impair your ability to see when you drive at night. Your depth perception is also not as good while driving at night, making it harder to determine the distance between your vehicle and other vehicles in front of or beside you which can result in an accident.
Aside from vision problems, fatigue and sleepiness can cause accidents at night. If you haven’t had any sleep, you can start to drift off or even fall asleep behind the wheel if you’re not used to driving at night.
The number of impaired or drunken drivers on the road is also typically higher at night. This puts you at risk of getting into an accident with someone who could be under the influence of alcohol.
A condition called night blindness can make it more difficult to see at night. This condition is accompanied by decreased vision, problems with your peripheral vision, and even the potential loss of central vision. Without the natural light to help you see signs, other vehicles, and pedestrians, it’s more difficult to judge the distance between your car and other objects.
Night Driving Glasses: A Possible Solution for Safer Driving
If you have difficulty seeing while driving at night, there are some special glasses you can try to help make things clearer. Night driving glasses may help to reduce the reflection of light and prevent eye strain so you can see more clearly.
These glasses provide better vision while driving at night so you can get to your destination safely. Look for night driving glasses that can block and reduce the harsh blue lights from oncoming headlights. Some glasses also feature anti-glare, HD vision lenses so you can see more clearly.
Remember that it may take a few times before you start to notice a difference when wearing night driving glasses. Over time, you should start to notice less glare and a much clearer view.
Make sure you choose glasses that are durable and comfortable, especially if you need to wear them for long periods of time. Keep them in your glove box so you can always reach for them whenever you need to.
Most glasses designed for nighttime driving will have polarized, yellow-colored lenses. This is because the yellow tint helps to block out the blue light that comes from other vehicles and streetlights.
Keep in mind that most night driving glasses are non-prescription. If you require prescription eyeglasses to drive, you may want to choose a pair that you can wear directly over your corrective lenses. Don’t try to substitute the night driving glasses with your regular glasses or else you may still have trouble seeing everything clearly.
While the jury is still out on these specialized glasses, many people claim they can help make it easier to see at night. Most styles of night driving glasses are similar to “shooter’s glasses” which are worn by hunters and shooters at a gun range.
Safe Night Driving Tips
While night vision glasses for driving can make things easier, there are several other things you can do to be proactive whenever you need to be on the road at night. First, always make sure that all lights including headlights, taillights, and brake lights are in good working order.
Aim your headlights correctly when driving at night, and check the lenses to make sure they’re clean for the best output. Turn the headlights on around one hour before the sun goes down to make it easier for other drivers to see you.
If you can, dim your dashboard lights since they can cause a glare on your windshield, causing extra visual distractions. Make sure you drive a bit slower at night since driving too fast can make it more difficult to react to things that may be in the road.
Allow for more space between yourself and the car ahead of you when you drive at night so you can brake safely if you need to. Focus your eyes on the right side of the road near the white lines and keep your windshield clean for better vision.
If you’re tired, try to get a nap before you drive at night. Never drive if you feel fatigued and if you think you may fall asleep, pull over to a safe place or take an exit and stop driving as soon as possible.
Stay Safe on the Road at Night
With a few simple tips and a pair of night driving glasses, you can reduce your odds of getting into an accident. Always pay close attention to other drivers and make sure your headlights and windshield are clean.
Try night driving glasses and see if they work for you. These specialized glasses may reduce glare and make things clearer for you when the sun goes down.
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Patrick M. is Editorial Director for the always expanding DriveSafe Online library of courses. With over two decades of experience developing award-winning training, he now focuses on innovating online driver safety training. Pulling from his background in journalism, he steers the wheel behind the creation of top-tier content that promotes a better journey—whether on the digital highway of learning or the real roads we travel every day.