Why does sudden brightness from lights make it harder to drive at night?

The reason why sudden brightness from lights makes it harder to drive at night relates to how glare impacts your vision. When you are exposed to sudden bright lights, such as oncoming headlights, the glare can cause the pupils of your eyes to contract. This constriction of the pupils is a natural response to bright light, intended to reduce the amount of light entering the eye and protect the retina from damage. However, this can hinder your ability to see clearly in low-light conditions because your pupils are now smaller and allow less light in, impeding your night vision.

During nighttime driving, your eyes have adapted to the darkness, making it difficult for them to adjust quickly to bright lights. This adjustment period leads to temporary vision impairment, making it harder to see the road and potential hazards. While the other options mention aspects related to visual processing and eye function, they do not specifically address how glare directly affects pupil response and vision during nighttime driving.