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How to Develop Good Seeing and Scanning Habits When Driving
April 2, 2014 | Category: Automobile Accidents | Share"When drivers first learn to drive, they learn that good seeing and scanning habits are important to avoiding vehicle accidents. As the years pass, these good habits may be lost. We, at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., would like to devote this blog to reviewing good seeing and scanning habits. Good driving involves knowing your eyesight and its limitation, practice and being alert at the wheel. When driving, a driver should make sure nothing interferes with the ability to see the road, react to situations or operate the vehicle properly," says Fort Myers Vehicle Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey.
Know Your Eyesight - Having an eye exam annually is a good practice leading to good seeing when driving. To drive safely in good and bad weather and to read signs without having to slow down, good near and distance vision is needed. Eyes may also be sensitive to light as one ages which would make the eyes sensitive to bright sunlight and conditions where there is a glare. Peripheral vision and depth perception makes distances and speeds of vehicles more difficult to judge. The American Ophthalmology Association lists the following driving dangers that may occur if a driver has cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration.
|
Condition |
Symptom |
Driving Danger |
|
Cataracts |
Less light, fuzziness, difficult focusing |
Reduced ability to see signs or objects in dim light |
|
Glaucoma |
Reduced side vision |
Reduced ability to judge speed and distance of other vehicles |
|
Macular Degeneration |
No central vision |
No ability to perform visual tasks associated with safe driving |
Focus Your Vision - Scan the entire road environment and anticipate potential risks. Start by:
- Always looking as far ahead as possible; actively scanning everything within view to prepare for any upcoming or changed road conditions.
- Scan frequently to the side and rear for passing or approaching vehicles.
- Scan thoroughly before changing direction or speed.
- Always positioning and using mirrors correctly. They increase the scope of vision and add to a driver's driving information.
- Keeping the head and body square. Tilting the head alters the view and perception of the conditions ahead.
- Making sure headlights are on to make the vehicle visible to other vehicles.
Fort Myers Personal Injury Lawyer, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys. He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida. For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com. Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information. You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.