How to drive safely with the sun in your eyes
Tips every driver should know to get to your destination safely
If you’re a new driver, take note. With the sun on the horizon in winter you need to be prepared.
Driving off into the sunset may sound like the rosy end of a Hollywood film, but it’s actually a pain. It can be near impossible to see properly when driving towards a low sun, and pulling down a visor can only do so much.
Even if you’re only travelling at 30 km/h, you cover about two car lengths in a second when the sun dazzles you, and you’re effectively blind. Road safety experts suggest doing these three things when the sun is low.
1 Keep it high
Raise your seat if you can, and pull down the visor if you haven’t already done so. Ideally, you should also have a pair of sunglasses ready for such situations. Remember visors can also be used if the sun is on the driver’s side.
2 Keep your distance
Squinting your eyes might feel like it helps, but it’s only reducing your vision. So you should always be ready to brake and try to keep a bit more distance from cars ahead of you.
Traffic accident reports show the risk of a crash when the sun is low is significantly higher when turning and merging. That means it’s better to check twice whether another car, cyclist or pedestrian is entering your path.
3 Keep it clean:
Cleaning your car isn’t just for the looks. Streaks on your windscreen will only make things worse in such situations as they increase the sun’s glare effect.