What Changes Occur in Visibility Distance During Night Driving?
2 Answers
Nighttime drivers observe objects significantly less clearly than during the day, resulting in shorter visibility distances. At night, while driving on the road, due to the effect of headlights, drivers see bright objects against a dark background, making these objects appear larger. However, the eyes still judge distance based on the perception that closer objects appear larger, leading to a reduced sense of visibility distance. Precautions for nighttime driving are as follows: 1. Reduce speed: Night driving differs from daytime driving with shorter visibility distances. Additionally, electric vehicles often run red lights on roads. Therefore, it is essential to drive slower at night, especially in areas with heavy pedestrian and electric vehicle traffic, yielding to pedestrians. When seeing someone crossing ahead, always slow down and be ready to brake. 2. Avoid using high beams indiscriminately: While high beams illuminate the road ahead and extend visibility, they can blind drivers of other cars and electric vehicles, making it impossible to see objects ahead under the glare of high beams. Hence, avoid using high beams unnecessarily at night. When encountering oncoming vehicles or electric vehicles, always turn off high beams—showing consideration for others also means helping yourself.
Having driven for decades, the most noticeable feeling during night driving is the significantly reduced visibility. During the day, I can clearly see objects hundreds of meters away, but at night, beyond the range of the headlights, everything is pitch black, especially on rural roads without streetlights, where the lights only illuminate about one or two hundred meters ahead. This is due to insufficient light, making the eyes more sensitive in the dark, but the poor contrast makes distant objects appear blurry. I often notice on highways that the car in front suddenly seems closer than it actually is, which can easily lead to misjudging the braking distance. As I’ve gotten older, my night vision has worsened, so I always slow down, maintain extra distance, and regularly check the brightness of my headlights. I recommend turning off strong interior lights while driving at night to stay focused on the road conditions.
