Daylight Savings Time Accidents: Tips For Avoiding Accidents During Early Sunsets
Posted on: 2 November 2016
Difficulties with driving at night or in low light can be a common cause of auto accidents and auto accident cases. Whether you're a new and inexperienced driver or an older driver who has become complacent behind the wheel, it's easy to lose sight of some of the tips, tricks, and driving habits that help to keep you safe in low light. This can leave you facing the potential for a car accident injury lawsuit if something should happen. Here are a few things that you should keep in mind to protect you on the road so you can avoid potentially dangerous accidents.
Always Drive Ahead Of You
One of the best tips for staying safe on darker roads is to stay attentive to what's ahead of you. Instead of focusing on the line immediately beside your car, make an effort to scan the roadway ahead of you as you're driving. Don't stare in any one place because that allows your eyes to adjust solely to the light in that space. When that happens, the headlights of oncoming traffic can actually blind you temporarily.
In addition, the early sunset can leave you facing more activity alongside the roads because people will be more likely to be out during those sunset hours. Along with pedestrians and children playing, this is also a common time for wildlife to start venturing out. Be attentive to the activity along the sides of the road and slow your driving speed so that you reduce the risk of an accident.
Take Curves Carefully
Make sure that you slow the car as you approach curves because your depth perception will be reduced in lower visibility. When you enter a curve, you need to have extra time to react in the event that something should step out in the way. Slowing down as you approach a curve will ensure that you have more time to respond when the road conditions change or obstructions appear or turn out to be closer than you might have thought.
Don't Dismiss The Importance of Eye Exams
One of the things that many drivers dismiss is the importance of routine eye exams. Before the days get markedly shorter, you should visit an optometrist for a comprehensive eye exam. The eye exam will help with early detection of vision problems. The sooner you can identify worsening vision, the easier it is to correct it.
Since driving in the dark can strain your eyes, it's in your best interest to be attentive to this. Make sure you talk with your eye doctor about how best to minimize strain from oncoming headlights and the surrounding dark.
Another common problem that eye exams can help to detect is night blindness. If you're struggling specifically at night or any time after dusk, it may be due to a condition like this. Usually the result of a medical condition, genetics, myopia, cataracts, or something similar, night blindness can be diagnosed by your eye care professional. If you're diagnosed with night blindness, your eye doctor may recommend that you not drive at night unless necessary. When you do drive after dusk, clean the windows, windshield, and headlights completely.
No matter what the cause of your struggles when you're driving in the early darkness hours of fall and winter, understanding how to compensate is important. These tips will help you to adjust to driving in the early darkness and minimize your risk of an accident. If you are in an auto accident due to a problem like this, talk to a local auto accident attorney to learn more about this topic.
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