1. NIGHT DRIVING FAMILIARIZATION

2. PURPOSE
TO FAMILIARIZE DRIVER CANDIDATES WITH NIGHT DRIVING HAZARDS AND PROCEDURES.

3. REFERENCES
AR , THE ARMY DRIVER AND OPERATOR STANDARDIZATION PROGRAM
FM , MANUAL FOR THE WHEELED VEHICLE DRIVER
TC , TRAINING PROGRAM FOR NIGHT VISION GOGGLE OPERATIONS
TM AN/PVS-5 NIGHT VISION GOGGLES OPERATOR’S MANUAL
TM , AN/PVS-7A NIGHT VISION GOGGLES OPERATOR’S MANUAL

4. VISION BASICS
LIGHT ENTERS THE EYE THROUGH THE PUPIL AND PASSES THROUGH THE LENS WHERE IT IS FOCUSED ON THE RETINA
DEPTH PERCEPTION: USED TO DETERMINE HEIGHT AND DISTANCE
VISUAL ACUITY: HOW WELL YOU CAN SEE
20/20 IS CONSIDERED NORMAL VISION
DARK ADAPTATION TAKES MINUTES
MOVEMENT PLANNERS MUST CONSIDER THIS WHEN PLANNING NIGHT OPERATIONS

5. PHYSICAL FACTORS IMPACTING NIGHT VISION
SMOKING REDUCES NIGHT VISION ABILITY BY 20 PERCENT
FATIGUE SLOWS YOUR RESPONSE AND IMPACTS JUDGEMENT
EAT FOODS WITH VITAMIN A TO IMPROVE NIGHT VISION (EGGS, CARROTS, CHEESE)
EXERCISE DAILY TO HELP PREVENT FATIGUE
GET ENOUGH SLEEP BEFORE CONDUCTING NIGHT DRIVING OPERATIONS

6. INTRODUCTION TO NIGHT DRIVING
FATALITY RATE FOR NIGHTTIME DRIVERS IS TWICE THAT OF DAYTIME DRIVERS
BASED ON MILES DRIVEN, NIGHT DRIVING IS TWO TO THREE TIMES MORE DANGEROUS THAN DAY DRIVING
FATIGUE AND REDUCED VISION ARE THE MAIN CAUSES OF THE GREATER DANGER
DAYTIME: DRIVERS CAN SEE SEVERAL THOUSAND FEET AHEAD
NIGHTTIME: DRIVERS CAN ONLY SEE AT MOST A FEW HUNDRED FEET

7. HEADLIGHT GLARE CAN BLIND YOU FOR 2 -3 SECONDS
AT 50 MPH 3 SECONDS = 219 FEET
FATIGUE
IMPAIRS JUDGEMENT
SLOWS REACTIONS
MANY DRIVERS AT NIGHT ARE FATIGUED
MAY CAUSE OPTICAL ILLUSIONS
INCREASES GLARE RECOVERY TIME

8. NIGHT DRIVING SAFETY
SCAN FOR HAZARDS AS FAR AHEAD AS POSSIBLE
SPEED RULE OF THUMB: NEVER OUTRUN YOUR HEADLIGHTS
YOUR STOPPING DISTANCE SHOULD BE LESS THAN YOUR SIGHT DISTANCE
HEADLIGHTS MUST SHINE 200 FEET
STOPPING DISTANCE AT 55MPH = 307 FEET (107 FEET MORE THAN SIGHT DISTANCE)
BOTTOM LINE: SLOW DOWN AT NIGHT

9. NIGHT VISION GOGGLE (NVG) FAMILIARIZATION
NVGs AMPLIFY AVAILABLE AMBIENT LIGHT
STARLIGHT
MOONLIGHT
OTHER SOURCES
NVGs DO NOT MAGNIFY IMAGES
PERFORMANCE DIRECTLY RELATED TO AMOUNT OF AMBIENT LIGHT
MORE AMBIENT LIGHT MEANS BETTER RESOLUTION AND OBJECT IDENTIFICATION
DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENS IN A BLOWOUT:
- A LOUD BANG
- VEHICLE SWERVES FROM SIDE-TO SIDE
- HARD TO STEER

10. NIGHT VISION GOGGLE (NVG) FAMILIARIZATION
VISUAL ACUITY WITH NVGs WILL ALWAYS BE LESS THAN NAKED EYES
BEST ACUITY WITH AN/PVS-7 NVG = 20/40
BEST ACUITY WITH AN/PVS-5 NVG = 20/50
DEPTH PERCEPTION EFFECT:
0-20 FEET: DEPTH PERCEPTION DECREASED
FEET: DEPTH PERCEPTION ABOUT EQUAL TO UNAIDED EYE
500 FEET AND MORE: DEPTH PERCEPTION DECREASED

11. NIGHT VISION GOGGLE (NVG) FAMILIARIZATION
PERIPHERAL VISION REDUCED
NO COLOR DISCRIMINATION
NVG PICTURE IS GREEN
HARD TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN SOME OBJECTS
SOME EFFECTS MAY LINGER AFTER NVGs ARE REMOVED
RAIN, HAZE, FOG, SNOW AND SMOKE REDUCE NVG PERFORMANCE

12. NIGHT VISION GOGGLE (NVG) FAMILIARIZATION
THREE GENERATIONS OF NVGs
AN/PVS-5 IS SECOND GENERATION
AN/PVS-7 MAY BE SECOND OR THIRD GENERATION
THIRD GENERATION NVGs HAVE REDUCED SENSITIVITY TO BLUE OR GREEN LIGHT
FOR NIGHT OPERATIONS USE FLASHLIGHTS WITH BLUE OR GREEN FILTERS
SECOND GENERATION NVGs FAIL GRADUALLY
MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL MUST CHECK THEM FREQUENTLY TO ENSURE PROPER OPERATION

13. NIGHT VISION GOGGLE (NVG) FAMILIARIZATION
USE OF NVGs DURING DAYLIGHT WILL DAMAGE THE NVG
INFRARED LIGHT MAY BE USED BUT MAKES THE NVG AN ACTIVE SYSTEM THAT THE ENEMY CAN DETECT
NVGs PROTECT YOUR EYES FROM LASERS
USE OF VEHICLE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS REDUCES NVD EFFECTIVENESS
AVOID ROUGH HANDLING OF NVGs

14. NIGHT VISION GOGGLE (NVG) FAMILIARIZATION
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
PROTECT NVGs FROM DUST, SAND, AND HUMIDITY
DO NOT USE ANTI-MISTING CLOTHS OR CHEMICALS ON THE LENSES
USE LENS COVERS WHEN NOT WEARING THE GOGGLES
ENSURE THE SELECTOR IS IN THE OFF POSITION BEFORE INSTALLING OR REMOVING BATTERIES

15. NIGHT VISION GOGGLE (NVG) FAMILIARIZATION
CARE AND MAINTENANCE (CONTINUED)
NVG RESOLUTION CHECKS ARE REQUIRED EVERY 180 DAYS
CHECK FOR PROPER TUBE OPERATION BEFORE EACH MISSION
NEVER STORE NVGs WET OR IN A WET CARRYING CASE
READ THE TM TO ENSURE YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND PROPER OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES

16. DRIVING WITH NIGHT VISION GOGGLES
FOR MOST EFFECTIVE NVG OPERATION, DIM OR TAPE OVER ALL VEHICLE DASHBOARD LIGHTS
NO DARK ADAPTATION PERIOD NEEDED FOR NVG USE
KEEP ANY BRIGHT LIGHTS OUT OF THE NVG FIELD OF VIEW
REMEMBER DUST, RAIN, FOG AND SNOW REDUCE NVG EFFECTIVENESS

17. DRIVING WITH NIGHT VISION GOGGLES
SPEED RULE OF THUMB: NEVER DRIVE FASTER THAN 25 MPH WITH NVGs
AR , CHAPTER 8, REQUIRES COMMANDERS TO ESTABLISH NVG SPEED LIMITS BASED ON:
TYPE AND GENERATION OF NVG
TYPE OF VEHICLES BEING DRIVEN
WEATHER
TERRAIN
MISSION/ROUTE TYPE
AMOUNT OF LIGHT AVAILABLE

18. DRIVING WITH NIGHT VISION GOGGLES
FM , CHAPTER 23 HAS GRAPHS NEEDED TO DETERMINE SAFE SPEED UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS
NEVER USE NVGs ON PUBLIC ROADS OR HIGHWAYS
USE A CONTINUAL, SLOW SCANNING PATTERN TO IMPROVE OBJECT IDENTIFICATION
USE GROUND GUIDES WHEN OPERATING A VEHICLE WHILE USING NVGs
IF THE VEHICLE OR NVGs MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING, PULL TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WARN OTHER DRIVERS

19. VEHICLE LIGHT SWITCH
TO MOVE TO ANY POSITION EXCEPT B.O. MARKER, LIFT THE UNLOCK SWITCH
BLACKOUT MARKER LIGHTS
2 ON FRONT AND 2 ON REAR
USED TO MARK LOCATION OF VEHICLE DURING BLACKOUT CONDITIONS
MARKER LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD

20. REAR BLACKOUT MARKER LIGHTS
EACH REAR LAMP HAS 2 PAIRS OF “CAT’S EYES”
TURNS RED WHEN ON
ONE LIGHT: TOO FAR AWAY
TWO LIGHTS: JUST RIGHT
FOUR LIGHTS: TOO CLOSE
BLACKOUT STOP-LIGHT FLASHES WHITE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED

21. FRONT BLACKOUT MARKER LIGHTS
EACH FRONT LIGHT HAS ONE PAIR OF CAT’S EYES
TURNS WHITE WHEN ON
MORE THAN 60 FEET AWAY: EACH PAIR APPEARS AS ONE LIGHT
LESS THAN 60 FEET AWAY: APPEARS AS A PAIR OF CAT’S EYES IN EACH LIGHT

22. BLACKOUT DRIVING LIGHT
MOUNTED TO THE LEFT OF THE LEFT HEADLIGHT
GIVES LIMITED LIGHT
BLACKOUT DRIVE LIGHT
HMMWV FRONT VIEW
BLACKOUT MARKER
BLACKOUT MARKER
HMMWV REAR VIEW

23. SUMMARY PURPOSE REFERENCES VISION BASICS INTRODUCTION TO NIGHT DRIVING
NIGHT DRIVING SAFETY
NIGHT VISION GOGGLE (NVG) FAMILIARIZATION
DRIVING WITH NVGs
VEHICLE LIGHTS

24. QUESTIONS? ?