For most people, running throughout the year is going to mean some stretches of running in the dark. Months on end of this isn’t the greatest thing ever—which perhaps explains the lack of great marathoners from the Arctic Circle—but running in the dark does have its charms. Seeing where you’re going usually isn’t an issue, the major exception being bad footing in wintry conditions. Black ice is hard to finesse your way through and probably a good time to look for a treadmill.
The more important matter is usually making sure you’re seen by others, by which I mean drivers. Most winter running gear, and many shoes, have reflective materials on them. Get some. If the roads where you run are especially narrow or your local drivers above-and-beyond distracted, go with extra hey-I’m-over-here items, like a reflective vest or a headlamp. You can even buy lights that wrap around your hands like a pair of illuminated brass knuckles (which may be tempting to use when yet another driver jabbering away on his phone acts like you’re the one causing the safety hazard).