During the winter months when the days are shorter, the possibility of snow and sun glare while driving greatly increases.  It’s a story we are all familiar with; you are driving to work and everything is going great until sudden glaring bright sunlight blasts through your windshield.  All of a sudden, you can barely see anything in front of you, and all you can do is hope that you don’t hit anyone or anything.

Sun glare is a contributing factor in a high number of auto accidents each year.  Winter snow and sun glare not only hurt your eyes, but they can create hazardous driving conditions.  Fortunately, you can do decrease the hazards to help stay safer on the roads this winter.

Tips for Dealing with Sun Glare While Driving:

• Use your sun visors to help with blocking the sun.  If the ones in your car are not sufficient, you can get supplemental sun visors or window tinting installed.
• Invest in polarized sunglasses.  These will help reduce glare and block some of the blinding sunlight.
• Clean all of your windows, inside and out, thoroughly.  Take extra care to be sure that they are streak-free.
• Allow yourself extra distance between you and the car in front of you.  With bright sun in your eyes, judging distances and can be even harder.  It is also more difficult to see what other cars are doing. 
• Take extra care to follow the lines on the road that help you stay in your lane.
• Drive with your headlights on to increase your visibility to other drivers.
• Choose an alternative route of driving to avoid sun glare.  Driving west in the evening hours makes you far more likely to encounter sun glare than if you were to change direction. Try to find a different way to get to your destination that moves you out of the path of direct sunlight or has more tree cover.

Conditions for driving are rarely perfect, but if you are proactive and make the proper adjustments, you can minimize any additional risks that come with less-than-ideal visual conditions.

Despite your best efforts, it is not possible to control external factors on the road like the negligence of other drivers.  In the event that you or a loved one is injured in an accident due to a driver’s negligence, Hupy and Abraham is here to answer your questions. Call 800-800-5678 or start a live chat anytime at Hupy.com to speak with a member of the firm.