Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-28
SUMNER SEASON BRINGS
PROBLEMS OF NIGHT DRIVING
Dusk, Glare and Lack of Speed Syn
chronization Cited as Chief
Danger Spots.

With the touring season getting into
full swing. and Summer evenings fur
nishing opportunity for relaxation at
the wheel, the subject of night driving
looms large on the automotive horizon.
Many trips may be marred and Vaca-
tons disrupted by failure TO observe
some of the newer rules OF this par
ticular type of motoring.
Dusk, during which a considerable
percentage Of Summertime driving is
done. offers peculiar hazards which are
not fully recognized even by expert
enced drivers. Low visibility and lack
Of uniformity In the switching on of
headlights combine to invite accidents.
Fear Of Headlights.
Many thousands Of drivers who fore
go evening driving in the warm season
OF the yer because of fear of glazing
headlights will find encouragement in
the news that there are ways OF meet
ing this problem, merely through driv-
ing procedure. In addition, some of
the newer equipment tends to diminish
glare
The danger at dusk Is clearly illus
trated by observing the situation where
an unlighted car Is running Just ahead
Of a lighted one. To a driver approach
ing the first car cannot be clearly
seen, or may not be seen at all. Just
as the light of day is fading there also
is difficulty noting highway intersec-
tons. This is far more hazardous than
when night has come on because there
is then the light Of cars lamps to serve
as a warning.
Dusk finds many motorists missing
signposts and letting down on their
ordinary caution when they discover
their mistake The tourist must be
considered a hazard toward the end of
the day because he is apt to be fatigued.
He may be trying to drive too far and,
in addition TO driving too fast, may not
be as careful as he would be normally.
His path is not made smoother by rea-
son of the higher percentage of cars on
the road whose drivers are just ambling
along.
Probably at no time in motoring are
speeds apt to be so varied and drivers
so cut of step with each other as on a
Summer evening. This has its obvious
complications which unfortunately are
not so apparent to those who need to
know it most.
FataIistic Attitude.
Too fatalistic an attitude toward the
problem of the glaring headlight Is be-
lieved to be largely responsible for the
difficulty encountered by many drivers.
1t is significant that some of the most
experienced drivers almost never COM
plain about the headlights of other
cars. Such operators have learned to
adjust themselves to conditions.
The procedure of one experienced
operator is worth noting. He makes it
a rule never to look into the headlights
of an approaching car, but instead
keeps his eyes riveted to the right hand
side Of the road, following the right
rays of his own lights. If it is neces-
sary he holds his left hand over his
left eye to cut the stray rays from the
approaching car. He is conscious at
all times of the problem, but says that
by avoiding direct attention to the
lights flashing at him he has saved
many risky moment awheel.
Most drivers keep looking at the ap-
preaching lights to see if there is going
to be glare" he says. Others will try
to keep from being annoyed and then,
at the last moment, look directly into
the glazing lights. 1t must be curiosity.
At any rate. confusion follows. 1t is
Just like the driver who goes into
panic when the car shows tendency to
skid.