Don't Be Dim When Driving In the Sun - We all love the sunshine, but we’re not always that well prepared for coping with it when it does finally arrive. This is especially the case when it comes to driving. No matter what age your car is and how well equipped it is to handle hot weather, it is still down to you to make sure that your journey is as comfortable as possible – regardless of whether you are travelling for miles or just down the road.
When we think about dangerous weather conditions we often think of rain, snow and ice. But the sun can be equally dangerous if you aren’t properly prepared. The most obvious thing to think about is taking a set of sunglasses with you wherever you go.
When we think about dangerous weather conditions we often think of rain, snow and ice. But the sun can be equally dangerous if you aren’t properly prepared. The most obvious thing to think about is taking a set of sunglasses with you wherever you go.
Sun visors are okay to an extent, but they block out everything – including your view of the road ahead, and that means limited visibility. Good sunglasses on the other hand - prescription strength if required - allow you to see more of the road without worrying about getting the sun in your eyes.
Even a quick reflection of the setting sun in the window of a building can be enough to affect your vision temporarily – and that can lead to an accident regardless of whether there are other road users nearby or not.
Of course it isn’t just the sun that poses a problem – it’s the heat as well. We’re often advised not to go out when the sun is at its hottest, and yet many of us are happy to get in our cars and drive around in that heat. Even with air conditioning in the car or the windows rolled down it can still be unbearable, and that can lead to feeling sleepy which in turn increases your chance of having an accident.
Try and rearrange or reschedule your journey if you can, but if you have to travel then you need to make sure your car is as ready for the journey as you are. One of the essential things to remember is bottled water, because you may need to top your car up as well as drinking it yourself to stay cool and help prevent dehydration.
But when it comes to driving in the sun it isn’t something you only need to worry about during the summer months. In autumn and winter, even though the sun is generally a lot weaker it can still reflect off wet roads or hamper your vision when it is low in the sky.
Of course, discount car insurance is always an essential but making sure your policy is correct and up to date means that in the event of you or another driver being dazzled by the sun, any damage will be sorted out as quickly as possible.
And that means you’ll be back on the road in no time.
Don't Be Dim When Driving In the Sun
