Two rare things I look forward to in one weekend — a bowl full of candy (I shared) and sleeping in an extra hour thanks to the arrival of daylight savings time. However, it takes about a week to convince my body that it’s not going to bed too early or my stomach that I don’t really need another Snickers bar! Eventually, I adapt as we humans do – however, one pesky and potentially dangerous issue will still bother me all through the winter . . . and that is trouble with night driving.
With daylight continuing to shrink until the winter solstice paired with the clock being backed up an hour, I find myself doing more and more night driving – even just picking up the kiddos up from their sports and music practices is now done in the dark. To be honest, I don’t like driving at night. In low light, it’s hard to judge how far away objects really are (if I see them at all) and the glare from oncoming headlights can be blinding (or at a minimum, confusing) – these vision issues can (and have) affected my reaction time and I hate that feeling of driving “on edge,” white-knuckling the steering wheel. Thank goodness, I’ve never had a driving accident at night – however, statistics show that traffic death rates are three times greater at night than during daylight. Scary!
I recently discovered EyePromise, a line of natural eye health supplements featuring the nutrients zeaxanthin and lutein. These two ingredients are carotenoids that make up the macular pigment—the area of the eye responsible for protecting vision. While small amounts of zeaxanthin and lutein are found naturally in foods like leafy greens, corn, eggs and red, orange and yellow peppers, most of us would never eat enough to see improvements in eye health – that’s where the convenience of a scientifically proven product like EyePromise vizual EDGE™ comes in. I have to tell you, before finding out about EyePromise, I never even stopped to consider taking a pill to help improve my night vision. But, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I take a mutli-vitamin to fill in any gaps in my dailiy nutrition and I take supplements to help my sports performance and recovery, so why have I not been doing something proactive for my eyesight?
Driving and accidentally harming another person isn’t the only concern I have with my vision and being on the road at night. For good reason, I’m also worried about hurting myself (again) while running at night. What an awful fall I took almost exactly this time last year when I was out running at 9pm by myself, I split my chin open (requiring stitches) and gave myself a concussion – I was really lucky I didn’t break my jaw with the angle and force of the fall. Even though there were street lamps on and lots of bright stars overhead, I just didn’t see the unevenness between a pair of sidewalk pavers.
On behalf of EyePromise, I am hosting a giveaway for Night Driving Confidence Kits – 3 of my readers will win one! Each kit, designed to make you feel more comfortable on the road and night, includes a car emergency tool/flashlight, headlight towel, EyePromise sport bag, coupon for EyePromise vizual EDGE and more! Simply enter through the Rafflecopter app below:
This post and giveaway is sponsored by EyePromise. While I have received compensation and products in exchange for my time, the review, opinions and editorial comments are completely my own.
Whoa! Some of those facts are scary! I did not even think about how it is more dangerous at night, but I do not drive at night that much so I am lucky I guess. As I am living the professional lifestyle right now, I can do my runs during the day, but I know lots of my runner friends do run and night, and I guess it is important to make sure you can see as well as cars seeing you!!! I am sure the rolled ankle rate takes a giant leap for night runners! Thanks for sharing 🙂
My night vision is TERRIBLE! I trouble seeing during the day let alone at night!
I definitely see less well at night – so far no mishaps!
I haven’t but my mom almost got in an accident recently and it was because she wasn’t wearing her glasses. It scares me.
Yes, for sure my confidence effects my driving!! i get scared driving at night
At times I feel like it does.
Thanks for the great post, Jennifer! I’m so sorry you’ve injured yourself night running. (I did once too because of the same situation you described though not nearly as bad.) Before joining ZeaVision, the company behind the EyePromise products, I had issues driving at night. Glare had been a big issue, as was seeing in low light. I had no idea I could take a vitamin to help the quality of my vision. It takes a few months to build up stores of zeaxanthin which helps restore the density of the macular pigment. But as you build up that pigment, you do notice the quality of your vision (at night and during the day) changes. Glare won’t bother you as much, nor do bright lights or bright sunshine. You also start to notice shades of color appear a bit more vivid. And your eyes adjust quicker to the darkness. It’s amazing. (I wouldn’t be working there or leaving this post if it wasn’t!)
(As an aside, zeaxanthin, which is an antioxidant, is also found in the skin and brain. And I’ve noticed my skin looks so much better now. So that’s a nice added benefit.)
Anyway… I enjoy reading your site. Great job!
okay, good to know it takes a couple months . . . . I’ll keep after it 🙂
I get hypnotized by the reflectors in the lines in the road, too many times ive gotten from point A to point B without remembering the drive at all.
I’m a nervous night time driver.
I do not like driving at night at all, I just got glasses recently and that helps, but I still don’t like it.
Yes! I don’t like driving at night because I think I see things that really aren’t there!
I am definitely more nervous at night
I live out in the country, one night coming home a topped a hill to find a very large and startled cow in the middle of the road. I couldn’t see where to go or what to do but thankfully neither I nor the cow were injured.
Yes it does and No no scary moments
I get very nervous driving at night… I feel like I cannot see things as clearly as I wish I could!
I don’t like driving at night. its hard to see.
Yes, I do get nervous. The roads that I have to drive on are a bit swervy and then there are deer that pop out.
I just don’t think with the glare on my glasses I see as well. I don’t really drive that much when it’s dark. Just when necessary to get home.
My husband drives at night all the time, I worry about him sometimes. Thank God that nothing has happened, yet.
My mom hated to drive at night, and I always made fun of her. Now that I’ve gotten older, I find it harder and harder to see in the dark. So many things she was right about….
I do find it harder to judge distances in the dark
My night vision is very poor.
I prefer not driving at night. I wear contacts but I just think it’s difficult overall driving at night.
i cant drive at night my vision is awful
No scary mishaps (yet!), but I do get a little disoriented with lights, especially when they bounce off the sides/top of metal bridges.
I just feel like I don’t see well driving at night. Luckily most of my driving now is in the city but when I’d have to drive in rural areas I was always so panicked I wouldn’t see an animal, etc. Luckily there have not been any scary mishaps yet.
Too many lights can get a bit dizzying. Also always looking out for deer on the road.
I do have an issue with nighttime glare, especially when it is raining because the wet windshield hold the glare more.
Yes my night vision is awful. I really hate driving at night. It’s not to back if the oncoming cars don’t have their high beams on.
I wear glasses when I drive and the glare of other headlights bothers me. I haven’t had really any mishaps though.
I prefer not to drive at night time unless I have to. I have had instances where I think I see an animal on the edge of the road only to later notice it was just brush. I also get blinded by other drivers headlights.
I thankfully haven’t had any mishaps but i hate driving at night because it is very hard for me to see.
Yes I cant see very well to drive at night!! Other headlights really affect my vision!!
I hate driving at night. The glare from other driver’s lights really bother my eyes. The only mishaps I have had are deer at night and lots of them.
No scary mishaps, but I feel more confident driving during daylight hours.
I have never had any scary night driving mishaps, but I am much, much more confident driving during daylight hours!
I can’t stand driving at night anymore because I get so much glare.
Yes I do I don’t like to drive at night because of it lights are blinding to me and when its raining and the roads are wet and dark from being wet it’s hard for me to see.
Yes- I hate driving at night because ot the deterioration of my night vision. No accidents but many moments where I was unsure which way the road was curving..scary.
Fortunately I havent had any scary close calls but I do have less confidence when driving at night.
I have scary moments driving hone after working my twelve hour shifts and sometimes in the mornings on my way to work especially when I havent slept well. Thanks so much for the chances to win.
yes, it doesn’t matter if I wear my contacts or my glasses I really have a hard time seeing at night! fortunately no mishaps yet (knock on wood)
Kathryn C
Usually do not drive at night as the bright lights hurt my eyes
I have noticed at night my hubby has a hard time it is very scary at times but so far no mishaps..
I rarely drive at night as the glare from other headlights makes it really hard for me to see. Yes, I have had some almost mishaps that have taken away my confidence.
I haven’t experienced any major mishaps, but driving at night can definitely be scarier than driving during the day. It’s harder to see, including the same for other drivers.
I feel more comfortable on the road than I did in the past but still get nervous.