Think before flashing your high beams
Vehicle headlamps frequently top lists of driver complaints, whether because we can't see far enough or because they're blinding us outright. Carmakers have advanced their technologies to address the dim nighttime drives, and organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) are working for the oncoming-traffic cohort by including glare tests in new-vehicle evaluations. Add to this storm the increasing number of drivers with vision problems (think diabetes and cataracts), and you've got a perfect recipe for night-driving disasters. Here are a few tips to keep you and other drivers safe at night.
FOG LAMPS
Before you hit the highbeam switch to let some oncoming driver have it for blinding you, glance down to see if they have fog lamps activated. If they're on, their headlamps are on low beam and they just might retaliate with a bigger blast of light, putting both of you at risk.
HILLS MAKE LIGHTS SEEM BRIGHTER
Don't forget to take the road's grade into account. If you're travelling up a hill and an approaching vehicle is cresting that hill heading down toward you, their low-beam lights may seem momentarily bright due to their aim. In any case, you're much better off following the advice given to you by your driving instructor years ago; momentarily focus your vision away from the headlamps of the oncoming vehicle to the side of the road. This will keep your pupils from constricting too much, thus impairing your vision.
AVOID THE HIGH-BEAM FLASH ALTOGETHER
Traffic laws across the country are almost united in outlawing this type of manoeuvre. For most jurisdictions, flashing your highbeams at night to an oncoming vehicle within 300 metres or an auto you're approaching from behind within 150 metres is a violation and can earn you a fine of around $150 or more. If you really need to send a message to those drivers, either because of their high-beams or to warn them of a road problem ahead, flip your fog lamps or headlamps off and on quickly a few times.
VEHICLE HEIGHT AND HEADLIGHT ALIGNMENT
Another problem some drivers face is the difference in height between their vehicles and taller SUVS or pickup trucks. No matter how tall a vehicle may be, its headlamps should be properly aimed to avoid presenting a glare risk to others, but that's not always the case. Headlight aim falls out of adjustment with the bumps and shocks of mileage, so be sure to have this checked on occasion. Be sure to adjust your alignment if you've raised or lowered your vehicle.