Why is it important to have a Clean Windshield?

When you read the question above you may have thought, that's just common sense, but do you know why? It has to do with the way your eyes function. Motion is critical for noticing a change in your surroundings, it is the main reason your eyes track, focus and identify specific objects.  It is not impossible to notice a change without motion. Changes in lighting or color may make it possible, it's just very difficult. Need proof, take the 30 second vision test below.

In the video clip below you will have 5 seconds to study the original picture. Then your vision will be interrupted for 1 second while an additional item is added to the screen. You will then have 1 second to identify the new object, and the process will repeat until 7 objects have been added. At the end of the video clip we will eliminate the interruptions, so you can see how well you did.

 

Did you notice the difference in difficulty between when you could see the objects appear and when you could not? That's why people who have an accident, commonly say, "I never saw them coming". It does not matter if the visual interruption was voluntary or involuntary, the outcome is the same.

An additional factor is the time you have to react. Two vehicles traveling in opposite directions at 80 mph are coming towards each other at 230 feet per second. They will traverse a quarter mile in 5.7 seconds. In an emergency, it will take the average driver 1 second to identify the danger and 1 second to begin corrective action leaving 3.7 seconds to avoid catastrophe. What if the other vehicle is hiding behind an insect smear or clump of snow for three seconds? Your avoidance time is now less than a second.

We would never say the Power Wiper will prevent the accident - but with a clean windshield, common sense dictates your odds will certainly improve!