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Generality/Definition

• Listen / Stop:
  There is an obvious relationship between good eyesight and safe driving; a large percentage of driving information is visual. As a person in charge of a vehicle you should take care of your vision in the same way that you care for your car.
  Source: Association of Optometrists Ireland (optometrists.ie)
  

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Listen / Stop: Night Vision: Normally people below the age of about 40-45 can adjust the focus of their eyes between long and short distance at will. However, in very dark conditions this system breaks down and the focus of the eyes settles to a constant distance of about 1m. Source: Night Vision and Driving (college-optometrists.org)

Epidemiology

• Listen / Stop:
  A third of drivers in Great Britain could be breaking the law and putting themselves and others in danger because of poor eyesight.
  A third of all drivers in our research had not had their eyes tested in the last two years as recommended by RNIB. The worst offenders were those aged 25 -44 years, almost half (43 per cent) of whom admitted to not having had a test.
  The report includes additional research from Warwick University, on people who don't wear glasses, which reveals that 65 per cent of those who failed a basic eye chart test were drivers.
  Source: 1 in 3 drivers at risk because of poor eyesight (rnib.org.uk)
  

Prevention

• Listen / Stop:
  Driving at night is more dangerous than daytime driving.
  A 50-year-old driver may need twice as much light to see as well as a 30-year old. The following tips can help you to stay safer while driving at night:
  Keep windshield (inside and out) and lights (both head and tail lights) clean.
  Make sure headlights are properly aimed. You may blind oncoming drivers and reduce your ability to see the road properly.
  Reduce your speed and increase your following distance at night. Many states have posted lower nighttime speed limits.
  Try to stick with well-lit roads.
  When driving at night make frequent stops for light snacks and exercise. If you become too tired to drive find a place to stop and rest.
  
  Source: Safe Nighttime Driving (seniorhealth.about.com)
  

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Listen / Stop: Have your vision examined regularly, with special attention to the needs of driving. If spectacles have been prescribed for driving make sure you wear them. If you are troubled by glare cut down on night driving. Compensate for poor field of vision by making good use of side and rear-view mirrors and turning your head to see objects at the side. If your depth perception is inadequate use extra care in passing other cars. Remove objects from your rear-view mirror and see that it is correctly adjusted. make sure that your windshield and rear window are clean and tree from scratches or pitting that can increase glare. Check headlights periodically so that they provide maximum light with each beam in the proper position. Slow down. Most vision problems are accentuated by high speeds. Source: vision driving (optomsqld.com)

Symptoms

• Listen / Stop:
  Most of us are aware that driving at night is more demanding and stressful than driving in the daytime.
  We make natural compensations for this as we drive but it is a fact that the number of night and road accidents is much greater than those that occur during the day.
  What is night myopia? Short-sighted people can see near objects clearly while distant objects are blurred. It is a problem that occurs in all conditions and light levels but research has shown that, at very low light levels, well below those experienced when driving at night with headlights on, younger people with otherwise perfect vision become temporarily myopic.
  Source: Night Vision and Driving (college-optometrists.org)
  

Treatment

• Listen / Stop:
  The National Safety Council recommends the following:
  Prepare your car for night driving. Clean headlights, taillights, signal lights and windows (inside and out) once a week, more often if necessary.
  Have your headlights properly aimed. Misaimed headlights blind other drivers and reduce your ability to see the road.
  Don't drink and drive. Not only does alcohol severely impair your driving ability, it also acts as a depressant. Just one drink can induce fatigue.
  Avoid smoking when you drive. Smoke's nicotine and carbon monoxide hamper night vision.
  If there is any doubt, turn your headlights on. Lights will not help you see better in early twilight, but they'll make it easier for other drivers to see you. Being seen is as important as seeing.
  Reduce your speed and increase your following distances. It is more difficult to judge other vehicle's speeds and distances at night.
  Don't overdrive your headlights. You should be able to stop inside the illuminated area. If you're not, you are creating a blind crash area in front of your vehicle.
  When following another vehicle, keep your headlights on low beams so you don't blind the driver ahead of you.
  If an oncoming vehicle doesn't lower beams from high to low, avoid glare by watching the right edge of the road and using it as a steering guide.
  Make frequent stops for light snacks and exercise. If you're too tired to drive, stop and get some rest.
  If you have car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible. Warn approaching traffic at once by setting up reflecting triangles near your vehicle and 300 feet behind it. Turn on flashers and the dome light. Stay off the roadway and get passengers away from the area.
  
  Source: Driving at Night - NSC (nsc.org)
  

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