I was driving east and coming over the crest on Neff at Pilot Butte when I was suddenly blinded by looking directly into the rising sun. In an attempt to regain a view of the road and oncoming traffic I quickly pulled down the visor to block the intense sun but I still couldn’t see the road in front of me due to the profound glare-induced blindness from my dirty windshield.
While I was able to regain my view of the road it was several hundred feet from where this episode began. This is a common story, and although my story has a happy ending (made it to my meeting near St. Charles), that is not always the case.
Since vision performance is my profession, I started to wonder about the combination of looking directly into the early morning sun and its transient after-image plus the glare from dirty windshields. Driver safety experts and my own experience tell us that the glare of September sun when it is near the horizon is not only bothersome but potentially dangerous for drivers. Studies reveal a shocking three times the number of glare-induced auto-related accidents in September compared with any other month. Furthermore, 80 percent of these glare-induced auto-related accidents occur in the early morning or early evening when the sun is low. I was not surprised after my close call earlier this morning.
It’s doubly important to drive with extra caution during September since there are many schools on our major east-west routes in Bend. The most concerning time is in the early morning when the sunrise and the time when the largest number of students are biking, walking, and being dropped off our one and the same. Regardless of grade level, with schools there are always enthusiastic students who assume that drivers are able to see all of their quick and unpredictable movements.
Here are some common sense recommendations to reduce your chances of being a glare induced “accident statistic.”
- Keep your windshield extra clean, inside and out. (When the direct sun hits a dusty or smeared windshield it is near impossible to see beyond your dirty windshield!)
- Wear high quality polarized sunglasses. (But even the best Polaroid can’t cut through the glare of a dirty windshield although Polaroid lenses will dramatically reduce reflected glare)
- Use your visor to help block some of the direct light
- Don’t put reflective items on the dashboard
- Eliminate all driving distractions
- Leave extra distance between you and the vehicle in front of you
- Consider turning on your headlights to increase your visibility
- Never text while driving or you would be driving “double blind”
While we can’t change the position of the sun during the September equinox, we all can attempt to make our roads safer by keeping our windshields clean – inside and out – and by following a few common sense recommendations. Thank you for doing your part and keeping our roads safe for all.
Integrated Eyecare
452 NE Greenwood Ave., Bend
kcarmiencke@gmail.com
www.iebend.com
