Tips for Dealing With Sun Glare Whilst Driving

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While we might think of driving with sun glare to be a mild annoyance, it’s in fact a much more serious matter. Each year, around 2,000 collisions in the UK are caused by drivers who were distracted by the sun, and around 10% of those will result in fatalities. To put it another way, research from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) says bright sunlight can increase the risk of a life-threatening crash by 16 percent. That’s a scary thought.

With this in mind, pay attention to the following tips about how to deal with sun glare while driving.

Wear polarised sunglasses

The operative word here is “polarised”. While it’s important to wear sunglasses while driving, not any pair will do. Certain lenses might offer a unique aesthetic, but if they’re not polarised, then they won’t be filtering out the harsh rays that could affect you while driving. Don’t be fooled by high-end brands though, simply look for a company that offers high-quality polarised lenses without the brand-name price tag.

Another reason why you should invest: if you get caught driving on a sunny day without sunglasses, you could be facing an on-the-spot fine of £100, and that can rise to £2,500 in court. While this seems extreme, given the statistics listed above, we understand the severity.

Clean your windscreen

If your windscreen is covered in dust and dirt, then you’ve going to have a doubly hard time when trying to combat sun glare. It might not seem so bad now, but trust us, when the sun is shining on it, you will regret not tending to it earlier!

Most petrol stations will have the appropriate cleaning equipment or, alternatively, you could find what you need online.

Get any chips or cracks fixed

Not only will a chip develop into a crack over time and make your windscreen less safe structurally, but it also has the potential to make glare worse while driving. This is because a chip creates a host of additional surfaces for the light to bounce off, making the glare less uniform and more distracting.

Don’t clutter your dashboard

For some reason, motorists are very fond of filling their dashboard with clutter. In fact, it’s almost as if certain items, such as bobbleheads and other brightly-coloured toys, were designed specifically to distract drivers. And don’t get us started on those boxing gloves you see dangling off rear-view mirrors.

Anyway, if you want a quick and easy way to deal with glare out on the road, have a clear dashboard. Not only are you removing things you could be distracted by, you’re also removing anything bright that the light could bounce off and make the glare worse.

Use your sun visor with caution

If the glare is particularly bad, you might be tempted to pull your sun visor right down to give your eyes a break. While the sun visor can help you shield some of the glare, pulling it down too much could make viewing the entirety of the road very difficult, which could end up causing more problems than it solves.

1st Call Windscreens are the go-to windscreen repair and replacement specialists for Kent, Sittingbourne, and Maidstone. Since 1996, we’ve been dedicated to quick, precise installations at competitive prices – whether that’s your family car, a commercial van, or an emergency vehicle. Get in touch to discover more about our services and how we’re helping key workers during this time.

Posted by: 1st Call Windscreens

We are proud to be a leading windscreen company covering our local areas of Maidstone, Sittingbourne and the rest of Kent since 1996. Our 25+ years experience in windscreen services includes windscreen repair and replacement for cars, vans, trucks and more! Our expert technicians hold the relevant qualifications so you can rest easy knowing that your windscreen is in safe hands.

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