How To Tell It’s No Longer Safe For You To Drive At Night

There are a number of hazards that you may face when driving at night, but the one thing you cannot change is that you are aging and as you age it is important to know whether it is safe for you to drive at night and if you’re able to avoid getting into a New Haven auto accident if you’re behind the wheel.

Before you head out on the road at night you should be aware of how your age is affecting your ability to drive well.  As is the case with your vision during the day as you age your vision at night starts to deteriorate and make it less safe for you to be driving as night falls.  The question is, how to tell if your vision at night is no longer safe for you to be behind the wheel.

First and foremost you should be seeing an eye doctor each and every year to make sure she/he can be checking in on your ability to see well in general.  If your doctor notices anything of concern she/he will make you aware of that and then you can proceed from there.  If there is nothing mentioned and you’re not noticing any signs or symptoms of difficulty with vision on the road at night, you should be fine to continue driving no matter the time of day.

Even if your doctor does not flag anything for you to be concerned about with your vision at night, you may still notice some issues when you’re behind the wheel.  One of the most immediate things you will notice is glare becoming a problem with your visibility.  If you are approaching vehicles and the glare from their headlights is so extreme that it blurs your vision for even a short period of time, it may be time to give up driving at night.  If you see a blur, but it is faint and not obscuring your vision you may be OK to continue driving, but if it worsens, which it will over time, it may be time to give up your night license.

If there are issues flagged by your doctor in your eyesight that doesn’t necessarily mean you are no longer going to be able to drive at night.  There are some prescriptions that can help with your eyesight that could buy you a few more years of driving once the sun sets.  If you are able to get a prescription that will aid your driving then you may be able to continue driving, but once you start to have glare problems even with that prescription you should give up driving at night.

There are many factors that come into play when driving at night that could be potential issues and cause a New Haven auto accident.   However, your vision can be the first sign that things are deteriorating as you age and you should make sure you are taking this limited vision seriously.  While it may be a hassle to not be able to drive at night, if it keeps you and your passengers safe, you should give up your keys.

Whichever time of day your accident happens, if you are injured you may wish to speak to an experienced attorney who can work with you to protect your long-term interests.  Contact our office and one of our attorneys will speak with you about your situation.