Driving Safely with Sunlight Glare

Driving Safely with Sunlight Glare

Summer is a wonderful season — warm weather, longer days, and all around more sunlight. Unfortunately, however, driving in direct sunlight can cause automobile accidents. Here are a few tips on how to keep yourself safe while driving during harsh sunlight.

  1. Utilize your sun visor! This ubiquitous vehicle feature blocks direct light coming from the right or left side of the car, safely preventing sun glare. Instead of using your sun visor to hold mail, receipts, or business cards, protect your eyes and drive safely by utilizing the sun visor for its intended purpose.
  2. Quality sunglasses reduce the harshness of the sun’s rays and protect your eyes from destructive UV light. Polarized sunglasses are strongly recommended because they reduce the glare from the sun. Although an inexpensive pair of sunglasses may seem ideal, low-quality lenses are not as effective in protecting your eyes. It is worth it to invest in a pair of glasses that will perform well and last!
  3. Keep your windows clean. Dirtiness and glares on windshields, rear windows, and side mirrors are more apparent when the sun is bright. The glares can be amplified by sunlight and can cause an accident from poor visibility. By maintaining clean windows, you can reduce the possibility of an accident.
  4. Keep a safe distance when driving. Bright sunlight reduces visibility and reaction time. It is crucial to maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. This allows for more response time to avoid an accident.
  5. It is acceptable to pull over. If the sun is extremely intense and is affecting your driving, feel free to pull over to a safe location and allow your eyes some time to recover. A quick rest of ten to fifteen minutes will allow your eyes to readjust. When arriving at your destination safely is in question, it is worthwhile to stop and increase travel time rather than continue driving and increase the probability of an accident.

Although these tips may seem simple and obvious, many car accidents are caused by sun glares. It takes only a second of obstructed sight during driving to cause an automobile accident. By utilizing these tips, you can appreciate the sun rather than worry about it being a potential hazard.

If you or someone you know have been in a car accident, check out our website at https://nelsonpersonalinjury.com/ for a free case evaluation. We want to help you get the money you deserve.