Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/52908
Smart Driving Night vision Y ou've been driving for an extended period of time on an uneventful stretch of road. It's dark, traffic's light. You walk into a truckstop and you totter as your body struggles to gain equilibrium. You're likely experiencing high- way hypnosis, or white-line fever, a state of mind brought about by the monotony of highway driv- ing. To deal with the problem, engineers designed the Indiana Toll Road with curves every couple of miles. Highway hypnosis is just one of the conditions you may encoun- ter while driving at night. You are more susceptible to fatigue as MAINTENANCE DILIGENCE Inspections, both pre-trip and en route, are crucial when night driving. Taking the time to inspect your tires, brakes and lights before you hit the road at night will help head off expensive and time-consuming breakdowns on the road. Inspecting your truck on the road might catch a defect that emerges, such as a burned out light. Plus, if driving in snow, the accumulation can freeze and obscure lights and reflective tape. Use fuel stops to clean your windshield, headlights and mirrors. Make sure nothing is blocking your radiator. Check your windshield and mirrors for chips or cracks. "It may not seem like a big deal, but if you head into a cold area or you hit a pothole, that chip may spider into something bigger," says Doug Moat of Universal Am-Can. If it happens, it could lead to an out-of-service violation and affect your safety rating. Carry replacement bulbs with you. Make sure you have windshield wiper fluid and rubbing alcohol to clean wiper blades. 20 | TRUCKERS NEWS | FEBRUARY 2012 Driving in the dark requires special skills and preparation by MAX KVIDERA Driving at night presents many challenges including fatigue, limited visibility and even highway hypnosis. your body seeks sleep. Your vision is impaired from lack of light. Your equipment may be difficult for other drivers to see, especially in rainy or snowy weather. You can take precautions to minimize these situations and keep yourself and your rig safe. Plan ahead to get yourself and your equipment ready for night driving, and employ effective scanning and defensive driving techniques to stay on top of high- way conditions. "We concentrate on three fac- tors: vision, glare and fatigue," says Kimberly Genovese, safety director at Mason-Dixon Intermodal. "We concentrate on driving in the shadows, depth perception and headlights straight on in your face." SCANNING TECHNIQUES A former military pilot for 25 years and now vice president of safety at West Bros. Transporta- tion, Ralph Clemons says he sees parallels between piloting and truck driving. He advocates scanning "outward inward — you start on the horizon and work your way in. That way you get the proper perspective." Clemons recommends scan- ning from 60 degrees to the left to 60 degrees to the right. "As your speed increases, your peripheral vision decreases," he says. "You have to keep your head and eyes moving in the daytime, but even more so at night." YOUR EYES HAVE IT Have your vision checked regularly. If your physical or your CDL requires corrective lenses, get them and have them handy when driving, says Doug Moat, director of safety at Universal Am-Can. He recommends getting an exam every six months. Don't stare at lights from oncoming traffic. Look away from the light or close an eye if you have night vision problems, Clemons recommends. If you focus on taillights long enough, they might appear to be moving when they actually aren't. Depth perception is more difficult to gauge at night. Genovese says it's harder to see MAX HEINE