Here Comes the Sun
Sun glare can make it more difficult to clearly see the road. That’s annoying to drivers, but for employers, sun glare creates a higher liability risk by increasing the possibility, and severity, of accidents.
The National Library of Medicine estimates more than 9,000 vehicle accidents are related to sun glare each year in the United States. And, in many states, glare is not acceptable as a defense in an accident.
Reducing sun glare accidents …
A practical step is to just make employees aware of the problems of glare, to drive slower and always yield to pedestrians.
- If possible, adjust delivery times and routes to minimize the possibility of glare.
- Keep windshields clean, both inside and out.
- Make sure windshield wipers are working properly and undergo regular maintenance.
- Keep washer fluid full for a quick-cleaning option while on the road.
- Tinting winshields can be effective. Check iwfa.com (the International Window Film Association) to see how Tennessee regulates windshield tints.
- Adding a second, independent autovisor can help to block the sun from two directions at once and eliminate the distraction of flipping the main visor back-and-forth.
- Encourage drivers to wear polarized sunglasses.
