Brighten Up Your Fall
Dull headlights, window haze, glare, yellowed headlight lenses, burned out bulbs.
Drivers encounter a few more challenges as the autumn sun sits lower in the afternoon sky and sets earlier. Addressing key visibility components can add a lot of brightness to your fall driving.
Check your vehicle for signs of visibility problems. Start with the following items:
Dull bulbs. Do the beams appear less bright than a year ago? Traditional halogen headlight bulbs lose brightness with age. Replacing bulbs annually delivers optimum visibility for dark roads and is a small investment in your driving safety.
Beam alignment. Do your headlight beams look cockeyed? Get lenses straightened out to increase light on the road ahead without glaring into oncoming traffic.
Hazy windows. Use a streak-free glass cleaner designed for vehicle glass. Remember to clean interior and exterior sides for best visibility. Vapors inside the cabin turn into haze on the inside panes, and that creates glare when the sun is shining at a low angle.
Roadway hazards. Some navigation apps can warn you if there are potholes, breakdowns or speed traps ahead.
Roadside visibility. Safety experts encourage drivers to use emergency flashers when they need to pull off the road or when involved in a collision. Accidents often occur when drivers and passengers exit vehicles on the sides of roadways. Besides vehicle flasher lights, add reflective vests and flashers to your vehicle safety kit.
Yellowed lenses. Summer’s ultraviolet rays can turn headlight lenses yellow and dramatically reduce the amount of light reaching the road. Ask your advisor about headlight polishing. Severely yellowed lenses may require replacement.
Windshield clarity. De-icing spray is used on the outside of the windshield, while defogger is applied to the interior side. Note: Some types of de-icer products contain chemicals not permitted in all regions.
Eyewear. Low light levels can make it difficult to clearly see the text of road signs. Consider scheduling an appointment with your doctor for an eye test if you sense your vision is suffering.