Owner's Manual

Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light
to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can
also affect your night vision. For example,
if
you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses.
Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if
you’re driving,
don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down
on glare from
headlights, but they also make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It
can take a second
or two, or
even several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t lower the high
beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlights), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching lights.
Keep your windshield and all the
glass on your vehicle clean - inside and
out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt
on the glass. Even the inside
of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights
dazzle and flash more than clean glass would, making the pupils of your
eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlights light up far less of a roadway when
you are
in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out
dimly lighted objects. Just as your headlights should be checked regularly
for proper aim,
so should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers
suffer from night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and aren’t
even aware
of it.
Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road you can’t stop,
accelerate
or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as
on dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get even
4-24