Good vision is important for safe driving.
If you cannot see clearly, you will have trouble identifying traffic and roadway conditions, spotting potential trouble, and responding to problems in a timely manner.
Side vision - You need to see “out of the corner of your eye.” This lets you spot vehicles and other potential trouble on either side of you while you look ahead.
Because you cannot focus on things to the side, you also must use your side mirrors and glance to the side if necessary.
Judging distances and speeds - Even if you can see clearly, you still may not be able to judge distances or speeds very well. In fact, you are not alone. Many people have problems judging distances and speeds. It takes a lot of practice to be able to judge both.
It is especially important in knowing how far you are from other vehicles and judging safe gaps when merging and when passing on two lane roads, or when judging the speed of a train before crossing tracks safely.
Night vision - Many people who can see clearly in the daytime have trouble seeing at night. It is difficult for everyone to see at night than in the daytime. Some drivers have problems with glare while driving at night, especially with the glare of oncoming headlights.
If you have problems seeing at night, don’t drive more than necessary and be very careful when you do. Because seeing well is so important to safe driving, you should have your eyes checked regularly by an eye doctor.
If you are required to wear corrective lenses; always wear them while driving, avoid using dark or tinted corrective lenses at night. They cut down the light that you need to see clearly. Try to keep an extra pair of glasses in your vehicle. If your regular glasses are broken or lost, use the spare pair to drive safely. This also can be helpful if you do not wear glasses all the time as it is easy to misplace them.
