While the sun is often a welcome sight in the spring and summer months, it can reflect off surfaces and beam directly into drivers’ eyes. This unexpected glare makes it harder for drivers to clearly see the vehicles around them, which could increase the risk of a serious collision.
It may be accurate to say that the sun caused or contributed to a collision, but it does not relieve drivers of liability. Below, Sigman Janssen’s experienced Green Bay car crash lawyers discuss car accidents due to sun glare.
If you were injured in this type of crash, we may be able to help you seek compensation. There are no upfront costs with our services.
Call Sigman Janssen today. Phone: (877) 888-5201.
When is Sun Glare Most Likely to Affect Drivers?
Sun glare often affects drivers early in the morning or later in the afternoon/evening and when people are driving toward the sun. During these times, it is more likely that the sun will bounce off reflective horizontal surfaces, like vehicle windshields, and into a driver’s eyes.
Sun glare accidents do not just happen in summer, however. They can also occur in the winter when there is snow on the ground. This is because snow can reflect sunlight back at drivers.
Sun glare is dangerous no matter how fast you are driving. Sun glare accidents can occur on highways where vehicles are traveling at high speed or on surface streets or intersections where vehicles are not going very fast.
Who Could Be at Fault for a Sun Glare Accident?
It can be accurate to say sun glare caused a crash. The sun may have gotten into a driver’s eyes and caused him or her to get into an accident.
However, drivers cannot blame the sun or other weather conditions for a collision. Even though the sun may have been the catalyst, the driver’s negligence was still the main cause of the crash.
When you get behind the wheel you are expected to account for weather conditions as you try to safely operate your vehicle. If sun glare makes it difficult to see, then you should slow down and leave more space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. You could also leave earlier or later to avoid the sun, change lanes or take an alternate route so the shine is not shining in your eyes. Bad weather, such as glare from the sun, is not an unexpected condition – it is foreseeable. This is especially true if you routinely encounter sun glare on a certain road, such as a road you often take to or from work each day.
The bottom line is that drivers are responsible for car crashes caused by glare from the sun. That means victims of these collisions may be able to seek compensation from the other driver’s liability insurance.
Tips on Safe Driving When There is Sun Glare
There are many practical steps you can take to reduce your risk of a collision caused by sun glare:
- Wear polarized sunglasses when the sun is out – Polarized sunglasses are designed to block intensely reflected light. These sunglasses work well in areas with a lot of sun glare, especially from the snow or water on the pavement.
- Put your visor down – If you do not have sunglasses, try putting down the visor. The only problem is you need to make sure you can still see under it. You do not want the visor blocking your vision. However, even with the visor down, you may need to squint, and that can be dangerous.
- Keep your windshield clean – A dirty windshield causes light to scatter, which can make sun glare even worse. You need to keep the outside and inside of your windshield clean. If the inside of your windshield is noticeably dirty, take a few minutes to clean it off. You can use your windshield wiper fluid to clean the outside of your windshield while you are driving. Make sure your windshield wiper reservoir is full. You do not want to get out on the road and try to clean your windshield only to find out there is no fluid left. You may also want to keep extra fluid in your car.
- Try to avoid driving when there is a high potential for sun glare – If possible, avoid driving at times when sun glare is more likely or when you will be heading right toward the sun. This may not always be possible, so you should be prepared to take other preventative steps, as described above, to avoid a sun glare crash.
- Increase your following distance – If you are concerned that the sun may temporarily impair your vision, keep a greater distance from the car in front of you. This gives you more time to stop in case you have trouble seeing for a few seconds. The driver of the car in front of you might suddenly hit the brakes if he or she is also struggling with sun glare.
What to Do After a Car Accident Due to Sun Glare
If you were injured in a crash caused by sun glare, you should treat it like any other accident. Call the police so they will come to the scene to complete a report. Get to the hospital right away, so qualified medical professionals can examine you, diagnose your injuries and provide the treatment you need.
While you are at the scene, be sure to exchange information with the other driver before the police arrive. When possible, and if your injuries allow, you may want to take pictures of the damage to both vehicles. If you have visible injuries, it could also be useful to take pictures of those injuries.
You do not need to prove sun glare caused the accident to recover compensation. It will be up to your lawyer to prove the crash was caused by the other driver’s negligence.
Call For Legal Help After a Collision
Even though weather conditions like sun glare are out of a driver’s control, drivers are still expected to operate their vehicles safely. If drivers do not use extra caution when they encounter sun glare, and a crash occurs, they can be held liable for damages from the crash.
Victims of these crashes need help from an experienced lawyer to have a chance to obtain full compensation for damages.
Sigman Janssen. Millions recovered. No upfront fees. Call us: (877) 888-5201.