Blinded by the Light – The Forgotten Danger of Driving in the Winter
During the winter, there are many factors that can make driving much more dangerous than in the summer months. Most people think of the ice and snow during the winter and the torrential rain that can make the roads slippery. But one of the main dangers of winter driving is the sun.
We all know that looking directly at the sun is dangerous and can damage the eyes irreversibly. During the winter, the sun rises later and sets earlier, meaning that at rush hour, the busiest time of the day on the road we could be driving into a very low sun, making visibility difficult or impossible. But what can we do about that?
When it comes to driving, safety is the most important thing to think about before we think about anything else. Making sure that your vehicle is safe and well-maintained means having it regularly serviced by a professional, such as Gloucester car service company https://www.123carandcommercial.com/servicing/ to ensure that is roadworthy. When it comes to driving in the hazardous conditions caused by low sun there are a few things that you can do to ensure that you and other motorists, cyclists and pedestrians are safe.
Make sure that your windscreen is clean. Any dust, marks or smears on the windscreen can hinder you so much more when the sun is shining on them, as they will make it very difficult for you to be able to see out of the windscreen. Clean your car regularly at this time of the year and pay special attention to the front and back windows. This applies to inside the car too – make sure there isn’t any debris, dust or items in the car on your dashboard that could reflect sunlight into your eyes.
Use your visor if you are driving into the sun. Although the visor does block some of the visibility of the road, it is very useful in blocking out the direct sunlight which will harm your eyes and make your view of the road very difficult. The sun visors are there for this purpose and are invaluable at this time of the year. A decent pair of sunglasses is also important, polarised lenses are an expensive option but are by far the best at reducing the suns glare. Remember, even when wearing sunglasses, it is still not safe to look directly at the sun.
If you feel that your vision is impaired by the sun and it is not safe to drive don’t. It is always better to wait until the sun has moved to a more comfortable position than to risk it.
