What to Do If You Are Blinded by the High Beam of Another Car
Like everything else in the modern age, car headlights are constantly improving in terms of technology and features. Back in the early days of automobiles, headlights were called headlights because they were what they were – a gas flame inside a glass case. Eventually, automakers switched to electric headlights, and they went from relatively weak “sealed” headlights to modern LEDs, which are great for lighting up in front of your car at night , but also terrible because they’re so bright that they can effectively dazzle oncoming traffic. transport. Combined with SUVs and pickup trucks that now stand so high you need a ladder to get in and out of them, you’re getting a plague of super-bright, blinding headlights on our roads. The problem is exacerbated by drivers who don’t seem to understand the rules for using high beams.
Progress will save us again, because “ smart” headlights will soon appear on the market , which will automatically adjust the brightness and direction, sparing oncoming traffic. But it will take some time to get all those overly bright headlights out of the way, so for now you’re still at risk of your eyeballs popping out of your head without warning when you’re driving at night. Since the best defense is an offense, you really need a strategy – here’s what to do if you’re blinded by another car’s high beams.
Be on the defensive
The first step to dealing with annoyingly bright headlights and high beams is to take the initiative. When you see oncoming traffic moving in your direction, especially if its headlights are very bright in the distance, slow down! Decreasing your speed will give you a little more wiggle room and lessen the stress of trying to get through the small temporary sun as it roars towards you. If you are driving on a multi-lane road, drive in the far right lane to be as far away from oncoming traffic as possible. One thing you should never do is flash your high beams in retaliation. It may sound nice, but dazzling the other driver won’t make the situation any safer.
Look to the right
This may seem obvious, but it’s worth saying: just as you don’t look directly at the sun, don’t look directly at the oncoming high beam. Not only will it blind you at the moment, it can cause long term night blindness for a short time after the car has passed as your eyes struggle to adjust to the changing conditions. Try looking to the right side of the road instead. Your peripheral vision should be enough to guide you for a short time until the high beam is behind you.
Adjust your mirror
If a high beam is coming from behind you, filling the interior of your car with enough light to make you think you’re headed towards the mother ship, the simplest and best thing to do is adjust your rearview mirror. All rear-view mirrors have a “night mode” function that cuts off glare. Get familiar with how yours works and feel free to turn it on the moment someone sneaks up behind you with lights so bright you can feel your skin on fire.
Evasion
Finally, even with all these other steps, it’s best to avoid super bright high beams altogether if you can. Move away from cars with bright lights driving behind you and change lanes to avoid being dazzled by oncoming traffic as much as possible.