Johnstone M. Kim, MD, is board-certified in ophthalmology. He's a practicing physician at Midwest Retina in Dublin, Ohio and previously served as a full-time faculty member at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Kresge Eye Institute in Detroit, Michigan.
Driving in the dark is different from driving during the daylight hours. Depth perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision can all be compromised in the dark. Add to that the glare of headlights and night driving can be unnerving enough to keep you off the road. Fortunately, there are strategies to help you stay safe and feel more confident about driving at night.
The following tips will help you improve your night vision and reach your destination safely.
Keeping your car in good shape overall, by having regular oil changes, inspections, and checking tire pressure, is important no matter what time of day you're driving. At night, it's important to keep these points in mind:
Allow your eyes a chance to adjust to the darkness before you start driving. It takes a few minutes for the pupils to fully dilate, allowing for maximum light to enter the eye. The more light your pupils let enter the eye, the better your vision will be.
To feel more in control while night driving and avoid "drowsy driving," consider making the following adjustments:
Staying up to date on eye exams will ensure that any prescription glasses you may wear are up to date and any eye problems, such as dry eye syndrome or cataracts, are addressed.
If you wear glasses, make sure they're anti-reflective, but there's little evidence to support the use of yellow-lens glasses to reduce glare and increase visibility while driving at night.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 7,000 people have been killed in drowsy driving-related crashes over the last decade. They found that most accidents occurred when our circadian rhythms naturally dip, between midnight and 6 a.m., and in the late afternoon. Doing shift work, a lack of quality sleep, long work hours, and sleep disorders are the usual culprits.
Signs that you're getting tired and may be at risk of falling asleep include:
The NHTSA offers these tips for remaining alert on the road:
National Safety Council. Driving at night.
AAA Senior Driving. Driving at night and managing glare.
Hwang AD, Tuccar-Burak M, Peli E. Comparison of pedestrian detection with and without yellow-lens glasses during simulated night driving with and without headlight glare. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019;137(10):1147-1153. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2019.2893
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Research on drowsy driving.
By Troy Bedinghaus, OD Troy L. Bedinghaus, OD, board-certified optometric physician, owns Lakewood Family Eye Care in Florida. He is an active member of the American Optometric Association.
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