It’s horrible when you are out driving in the dark and a car coming towards you dazzles you with their headlights, or someone following you too closely does the same.
But a European study has revealed that the majority of drivers on Britain’s roads have been dazzled by other road users, and it reveals that drivers adopt some obvious, but also some really unsafe ways of trying to avoid swerving and danger on the roads.
Three thousand motorists were questioned, and more than half of the people asked revealed that they have been very bothered by other road user’s lights. The top avoidance strategy is to adjust the rear view mirror so you can only see the refection of the lights, rather than the direct beam. More than a third of drivers admit to turning their exterior mirrors downwards, but most just adjust their seating position to avoid the glare.
A worrying statistic is that nine percent of drivers in the UK and five percent of drivers in France were prone to wearing their sunglasses at night to avoid the glare. This really isn’t sensible as although it will minimise other driver’s headlights, it will also impact on your vision for other potential hazards.
Over forty percent of drivers admit to squinting (another dangerous practice) and twenty percent block the glare with their hand, taking their hand off the wheel to do so, so adding to the risk of accident.
If you are making a journey in the evening, think about your lights and how they will affect other road users. Make sure that you have Car Insurance to protect you against an accident.
Music video by Richard Marx performing Hazard (Video Version).
Video Rating: 4 / 5
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