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Show MOTOR MAIDS It Takes More Than 2020 V. By Jr-anne Smith, Dodge Safety Consultant 1 DIDN'T SEE th other carl" an all too-frequent explanation given for an accident is actually not a valid excuse. It a the dnv- f er"a responsi- . JvV ' f bility to tee j m J every thin n on jr ! the hifrhwa. W It is also his JfJ responsibility to recognize if any hindrances p to his vision ll. and to drive Pwy J accordinKly. There are Miss Smith several reasons why motorists fail to see cars, pedestrians, stop sifrns or other objects in time to avoid an accident. Among these are driving too fast, fatigue, an obstruction at an intersection, blinding; lights from another car or inadequate vision. One out of every six motor Ists needing special visual attention at-tention is unaware of his short comings, reports the Motorist's Vision Committee of the American Amer-ican Optometrle Association. Safe vision, from the standpoint of driving;, is made up of four essential es-sential visual skills, the Association Associa-tion points out. They are distance acuity, proper field of vision, night vision and depth perception. Distance acuity is the ability to ee objects clearly, without blur, from 20 feet to many yards ahead. The AOA considers 2040 vision (with or without glasses) a minimum min-imum requirement. Tests have shown that the average traffic sign with five-inch letters can be read at about 280 feet by the driver with 2020 vision, at 113 feet by those with 2040 vision and at only 90 feet by motorists with 2060 vision. Inability to read signs or spot hazards accounts for thousands of accidents, AOA officials believe. be-lieve. Proper field of vision means being be-ing able to see over a large area without moving either your eyes or your head. This visual skill is important because many highway hazards must be seen from the side if they are to be avoided. An accident can be caused by "tunnel vision," in which the driver can see only straight ahead. Night vision includes the ability abili-ty to see adequately under low illumination, to see against glare and to recover rapidly from the glare of oncoming headlights. Driving in a semi-blinded semi-blinded state contributes to a high proportion of night driving driv-ing accidents. Depth perception involves the ability to judge accurately the distance between your car and other objects. Collisions can occur oc-cur through misjudging relative distances of approaching cars. The AOA has listed several recommendations for those who lack these visual skills; periodic eye examinations with special reference to driving; if glasses are prescribed, always wear them when driving; if troubled by headlight head-light glare, cut down on night driving and drive more slowly after dark. Other recommendations: compensate com-pensate for inadequate field of vision by turning your head to watch for danger; be extra careful in passing other cars if depth perception is poor, and avoid driving at high speeds. There is no substitute for alert ness and caution. |