Glare from other cars’ headlights can make driving at night almost impossible. And it’s not just the blinding beams of light. Glare causes you to squint and lowers your ability to see. It’s even been linked to an increased risk of a car accident. Here are tips for reducing glare while driving at night.

1. Clean and Polish Your Headlights

You should clean and polish your headlights to remove any buildup or damage. This will reduce the amount of light that shines directly into the eyes of oncoming drivers, which prevents them from being blinded by glare from your lights. You should also try to keep your headlights properly aligned so that they are pointing in the same direction as your car’s hood and rearview mirrors-this will help eliminate excess glare for other drivers on the road.

2. Reduce the Brightness of Your Dashboard

It’s hard for people to see out of their windshields when their dashboards look like Times Square at Christmas time! Reducing excessive brightness in your vehicle will eliminate unnecessary light from shining outside your car while you drive, which reduces glare for other drivers on the road around you.

3. Turn Down Your High Beams in Traffic

When you’re stuck in traffic, and everyone is doing their best to make the trip as short as possible, turning on high beams can seem like a great idea. But if you’re looking at the reflection of your headlights when you turn on high beams, you’re probably blinding everyone else who’s stuck behind you. So turn them off! It will save everyone from headaches and migraines!

4. Adjust Your Rearview Mirror

Light from oncoming cars is often more intense than you realize, so adjust your rearview mirror, so it’s as close to your eyes as possible without obstructing your view of the road. This will help minimize the amount of light entering your eyes.

5. Clean Both Windows and Mirrors

The glass or plastic on your dashboard and side windows can become easily fogged up, which makes it harder to see if they’re already dirty, which can make glare even worse! Wipe down all surfaces with a microfiber cloth, so you can get rid of dirt and grime that could be causing the car windows to look hazy (or worse: let in extra light).

6. Wear Eye Protection during the Day

If you think bright sunlight is bad for your eyes while driving at night, imagine how much worse it is if you don’t wear sunglasses during the day! When you drive at night, some of the light coming toward you is reflected sunlight that has bounced off other surfaces like buildings and cars ahead.

7. Ask Your Optician for Anti-Glare Glasses

Ask your optician for anti-glare glasses with a polycarbonate lens that reduces glare from headlamps and streetlights, making it easier to see the road ahead. This option is especially good for people who suffer from sensitivity to light and those with extreme nearsightedness or farsightedness.

8. Look Down at the Right Edge of the Road

When the lights of an oncoming car blind you, turn away from them slightly, so you’re looking down at the right edge of the road rather than straight ahead at the car’s lights. This will help you see better once the car passes.

Wrapping Up

Glare from oncoming headlights at night can be blinding-so much so that it could seriously impair your driving and increase your chances of a crash. But there are things you can do to minimize the glare, as discussed above!