Night driving has definite advantages over day driving, like less traffic and faster travel times because you can drive the speed limit and not get stuck in traffic jams. However, your perception of night driving may depend on your age. For example, younger drivers may like driving at night better than older drivers because they can see better at night, and there is a medical reason for this. As we age, we develop age-related eye problems, like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and cataracts, and these eye conditions can begin to develop as early as the age of 40. To learn more about how age and eye conditions affect driving and what you can do about it, keep reading.
Eye Conditions that Can Affect Driving at Night
Many eye conditions can negatively affect your ability to see at night, and these conditions can get worse as you get older. Typical eye conditions that can affect night driving include:
- Age-Related Macular Degeneration – Causes damage to the macula, which is part of the retina and located in the back of the eye. This decreases central and peripheral visual acuity.
- Cataracts – Cataracts are cloudy areas on the lens of the eye. They can increase glare, create cloudy spots in the vision and decrease color vision.
- Diabetic Retinopathy – High blood sugar levels can damage the veins in the back of the eye, causing blind spots, increasing glare and decreasing overall visual acuity.
- Glaucoma – An increase in eye pressure can decrease peripheral vision, making it difficult to see vehicles in other lanes.
Ways to Stay Safe While Driving at Night
According to Berkeley Wellness that references Consumer Reports, almost 70 percent of pedestrian strikes by vehicles occur at night. In order to improve your driving safety, you may want to limit night driving and take certain precautions while driving at night in order to reduce your risk of experiencing a car accident.
Allow Your Eyes to Adjust to Low Lighting Levels
The human eye takes about 30 minutes to adjust to low-lighting levels. This is because the retina is comprised of cones and rods. The cones are highly responsive to light, and they adapt quickly to daylight situations. The rods are responsible for night vision because they operate more efficiently in low-lighting. However, it can take up to 30 minutes for your eyes to switch from using the cones to using the rods. For this reason, you may want to wait a few minutes before beginning your drive if you are leaving your home or a place of business at night.
Limit Night Driving
If you know you have trouble seeing the road at night due to glare and reduce visual acuity, you may want to avoid driving at night whenever possible. This means planning trips to the store and driving to perform other errands while the sun is still out. If you’re planning a long road trip, you may want to stop at a hotel before the sun goes down and continue your trip in the morning.
Avoid Driving at Night in Adverse Weather Conditions
If you know you have trouble driving at night, you can expect these vision problems to increase if you drive at night in poor weather conditions, like snow, heavy rain and fog. When possible, try to plan car trips on days with good weather. If you accidentally find yourself on the road at night in poor weather conditions, remember to drive at or slightly below the speed limit in order to not overdrive your headlights and maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. You may also want to start braking for stoplights and stop signs several feet earlier than normal in order to ensure you get your car stopped in a safe manner.