Auto Club Warns Motorists to Use Extra Caution in Darker Winter Commute Hours.

LOS ANGELES -- Daylight-saving time ends at 2 a.m. this Sunday, Oct. 31. The Automobile Club of Southern California reminds motorists that they need to adjust their driving habits as well as their clocks so they can stay safe in darker driving conditions.

Motorists need to adapt to reduced visibility from darkness and fog that can affect both morning and evening commutes, said Steve Mazor, the Auto Club's principal automotive engineer.

"Drivers will need to use their headlights much more often than they do during daylight-saving time, and be aware that headlights also help make their vehicle more visible in dusky or foggy light conditions," Mazor said.

Because the additional darkness brings increased headlight use, many motorists may also experience a problem with glare from the high-technology headlights in use on newer model cars. These high-intensity discharge (HID) lights emit twice the light of conventional halogen headlamps and produce a blue-white light.

"The newer headlight design gives greatly improved visibility to the drivers who have them on their vehicles, but drivers around them may experience glare problems, particularly if the headlights are on a high-profile vehicle such as an SUV," Mazor said. "Fortunately, there are several steps drivers can take to reduce that glare."

The Auto Club is offering a free brochure with safety tips on this problem at its 68 district offices. "Blinded By the Light? How to Handle Glare for Safer Driving at Night" gives the following tips about improving your ability to see while driving at night and reducing glare:

Keep all your windows and your headlights clean. A spotty windshield can both reduce visibility and increase headlight glare at night. Clean the windows inside and out frequently to get rid of nighttime "windshield haze." Also, even a thin layer of grime on headlights can block up to 90 percent of the light, so keep headlights clean.

Make sure your glasses and contacts are clean and scratch-free. Smudged or scratched lenses worsen headlight glare. If you continue to have problems with glare even with clean lenses, you may want to consider adding an anti-reflective coating to your lenses.

Use the rear-view mirror's "night" setting. All cars have "day/night" interior mirrors to reduce reflected glare from vehicles directly behind you. To use, flip the small lever at the bottom of the mirror.

Replace and/or clean your windshield wipers. Wipers will streak your windshield if they are dirty or they need to be replaced. Clean the wiper blades with a paper towel dipped in windshield wiper fluid.

Avert your eyes from headlight glare. When an oncoming vehicle shines light directly into your eyes, move your line of sight to the right away from the glare until the vehicle passes. You can still see vehicles around you with your peripheral vision 

To prevent your headlights from causing glare for others around you, the Auto Club offers these tips:

Aim your headlights correctly. Your local automotive technician can make sure your headlights are correctly aimed during your next service visit, or refer to the Auto Club's brochure for tips on how to check them yourself.

Use your lights courteously. If your car has fog lamps, don't use them if there is no fog. In fog, use only your low-beam headlights, because your high beams will actually reduce your own ability to see and may temporarily blind other drivers. Avoid using your high beams when you see oncoming vehicles or when you drive in urban areas.

The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services and highway and transportation safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.