Summer is prime time for car accidents resulting from sun glare. A driver temporarily blinded by the bright light may inadvertently cause an accident, but sun glare is not a liability defense. The only defense against sun glare involves protecting yourself as much as possible when behind the wheel. Officially, sun glare causes hundreds of accidents annually, according to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration. Major driving organizations, such as AAA, contend that sun glare is responsible for many more accidents, since it is unusual for a police report to list only sun glare as the accident’s cause.
The best way to prevent a sun glare accident is by reducing the odds of causing an accident. First, always keep a safe distance between you the vehicle in front of you. By keeping the proper distance, there is additional time to brake your vehicle when the sun hits. Keep your car away from the road’s shoulders, as sun glare may not allow you to see cyclists and pedestrians. Drive with your headlights on during the day to increase your visibility.
Wearing polarized lenses while driving can lessen the effect of sun glare. Keeping the windshield clean is a critical component of sun glare reduction, since a dirty windshield worsens sun glare. Make sure all the mirrors are also clean. Keep a bottle of window cleaner and paper towels in the car for quick touch-ups.
The most practical defense against sun glare is avoiding it as much as possible. If you take a regular route affected badly by sun glare during certain hours of the day, try to find an alternative route during those times. If you are caught in a bad patch of sun glare, pull over to a safe area and wait it out.
Some natural events are unforeseeable, such as earthquakes. Drivers may be protected from liability from accidents caused by such events because they did not anticipate an earthquake, flood, or tornado occurring while they were on the road. That is not the case with sun glare. Every driver knows the sun rises and sets each day, and sun glare is always a possibility. Drivers are expected to prepare for foreseeable events when operating their vehicles.
If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident, you need the services of the experienced DC car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Duane O. King. Call us today at 202-331-1963 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We will work diligently to ensure the legal rights of our clients are protected and obtain the maximum amount of compensation available. Located in Washington, DC, we serve clients throughout DC and Maryland.
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