Glare & Accidents
How to stay safe while sunset/sunrise driving
Sunlight, especially during sunrise and sunset, greatly reduces drivers’ vision due to the light reflections. Light can be reflected off other vehicles’ window, buildings’ glass or shiny facades and other roadside structures; temporarily “blinding” drivers, and the effect is even more serious during wet conditions where more light is reflected by water.
Summer road trips are notorious for high-glare driving scenarios. Who leaves the beach until the sun starts to set? Driving home in the evening or an early start are prime opportunities for dangerous glare.
Most drivers adjust their driving in glare conditions, and are sensible enough to slow down when they are dazzled. However, when the road turns sharply or glare appears unexpectedly from behind trees or buildings, some drivers still try to pass in low sunlight or twilight conditions, and when coincided with rush hour, there can be disastrous consequences.
Guidelines for Sunny Day Driving
- Keep the inside and the outside of your windshield clean, and free from any cracks and dings.
- Ensure you leave enough space between yourself and other drivers, and if blinded, slow down immediately.
- Keep your headlights on, so other drivers who may be experiencing the effects of glare have a better chance of seeing you. It’s common sense to anticipate the effects of glare on you as well as other drivers.
- Use techniques to block the direct sun installing window film in your vehicle. Installing Sunstrips are a really easy way to reduce or eliminate head-on glare through the windshield. Sunroofs can be equally culpable in excessive glare, and since they are so small, it is a very inexpensive problem to get out in front of. The rest of your windows contribute to glare as well and it is easily managed with the right combination of products.
A Note for Pedestrians
Whether you are jogging or walking, you are twice as likely to be killed or seriously injured in road accidents if you have your back to the vehicles. Facing the oncoming traffic allows you to see traffic patterns, and possibly get out of the way of a wayward vehicle.