FLETCH SAFETY TIP #9
Eyes Age
For years we have been given eye tests. "Read the letters on the bottom line". Then we get a report 20/20, if our eyes are OK. When driving in today's fast traffic we need more than just an OK from chart reading.
must see other vehicles as they move and judge where they will be in few seconds. Following one or more cars requires me to change focus rapidly to keep track of them. At my age, I take longer to make these changes. In addition, I am slower making decisions to slow down or change lanes. My reactions have slowed too, so my total time may double compared to me younger days.
Other visual changes have caused me to realize that I must limit my driving. Glare from headlights has become more annoying, and my sight recovery is much slower. Other roadway conditions remind me of the need for greater caution. As I enter and leave a tunnel, I am "blind" for several seconds, much longer than in my youth. The other day a pedestrian appeared out of the shadows on my roadside shoulder. Had he been in the road, I doubt if I could have stopped in time.
I need a bright light to read the telephone book now and have the same problem reading street signs at night. Curbs are difficult to judge in dusk, night and even stormy days. Last week I hit a curb with my right rear tire, in daylight. Eye sight and judgment, as well as the distraction of another car, were to blame. Little changes add time to my driving actions. Can my years of driving experience compensate for aging eyes and the extra time I need for safety? I doubt it, so I am limiting my driving more and more.
Fletch Safety Tip #9:
Recognize the effect of aging eyes on your driving skill. The sum of all the changes may be more than you realize. Adjust your schedule and plans to make driving easier and safer for you and others on the road.
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