subject: Factors That Reduce Your Visibility Behind The Wheel [print this page] There is plenty you can do to increase your safety on the road. For example, you should turn off your cell phone, PDA, and laptop, so you can avoid unnecessary distractions. If your car is equipped with safety options, such as a lane-change warning system, you should definitely heed them. You can also take an active approach to watching for potential hazards, taking care to avoid them whenever possible.
Herein, lies a problem if you drive certain vehicles. A lot of automakers have designed some of their models in a way that reduces your visibility behind the wheel. Below, we'll take a look at a few features that can potentially obstruct your view, and thereby affect your safety.
Smaller Windows, Thicker Pillars, And Flatter Windshields
The windows of your vehicle obviously play a key role in your visibility. The smaller they are, the less you can see on the other side of them. The problem here is that some automakers are making the windows smaller in order to produce a sleeker body. Sometimes, it's only the rear window that is affected; other times, the side windows are designed smaller.
One way to reduce the size of the windows is to make the pillars of the car's greenhouse thicker. The greenhouse is composed of the windshield and windows. The pillars support it. Pillars are named by letter based on their location. The A-pillars are found on both sides of the windshield; the B-pillars are located between the front seat and rear seat side windows; and the C-pillars are found on both sides of the rear window. The thicker the pillars are, the bigger the respective blind spots.
Your vehicle's windshield also plays a role, and it's related to the pillars. In some cars, the windshield has a panoramic shape. This allows smaller pillars for structural support. In other vehicles, however, the windshield is flat. It requires a larger pillar on each side, and thus reduces visibility.
Unnecessarily Large Headrests
Large headrests seem like a safety advantage because they help protect the heads and necks of a vehicle's occupants. Automakers have designed them to be large for this specific purpose. The headrests are bigger and taller than they were in automobiles built a few decades ago. The problem is, the bigger they are, the less you can see through your side and rear windows. They represent a tradeoff in terms of protection from head and neck injuries versus driver visibility.
Xenon Headlights
You've seen them. You may even have them installed on your vehicle. Xenon headlights are those that emit a sharp bluish light that is much brighter than the light produced by conventional headlamps. If they're installed on your car, they improve your visibility in driving conditions where light is scant. On the other hand, if they're installed on another vehicle, they may temporarily blind you. And this is where the problem lies.
As with headrests, xenon headlamps pose a tradeoff. Installed on your car, they help you see better. But if they blind other drivers who are heading toward you, the headlamps will reduce your safety, and that of your passengers. If you intend to have them placed on the front of your vehicle, make sure they're adjusted appropriately. Then, check them periodically to be certain they remain so.
Excessively Small Side Mirrors
Some vehicles are equipped with side mirrors that are so small drivers are unable to use them properly. There are a lot of reasons why car manufacturers might choose to do this. They may want the car's body to appear sleeker; they might want to reduce the noise produced by wind rushing past the mirrors; or they may want to minimize drag on the vehicle, and thus improve its gas mileage. The problem, of course, is that too-small side mirrors provide inadequate information to the driver regarding cars on either side.
If you already own a car burdened with any of the features above, there's very little you can do to improve your visibility. Recognize they are there. Be aware of them. That alone will improve your safety behind the wheel.
