For most of the year, life in the metro Atlanta area is synonymous with two daily experiences, traffic and sunny days. Atlanta averages 217 sunny days per year, which is 12 more than the national average.[1]

The bright bulb in the sky combined with the city traffic has a track record for putting commuters at risk of a car crash. Tests have shown that amongst weather conditions, “the risk of a life-threatening crash is 16% higher during bright sunlight than normal weather”[2].  Dr. Donald A. Bredemeier of the Sunnybrook Research Institute concluded that “bright sunlight is associated with an increased risk of a life threatening motor vehicle crash” based on a longitudinal study conducted. [3]

In this post we will explore the best sunglasses for driving to help prevent the risk of getting into car accident due to being blinded by the sun.

Sunglasses for Atlanta Commuting

An easy way that you can help yourself avoid a car crash is to wear appropriate sunglasses for driving during your commute. Keep in mind that not all sunglasses may be suitable for use while driving. Some of the things to think about when you are purchasing sunglasses, or deciding which pair of sunglasses to wear include:

  1. Whether your peripheral vision is obstructed;
  2. Whether the color or tint of the lens interferes with your ability to identify objects or
  3. Read signs; whether they stay in place on your nose without issue.

Polarized Sunglasses

Find out whether the sunglasses you are considering are polarized. The American Academy of Ophthalmology explains on their website how polarized lenses work.

On polarized sunglasses, the filter creates vertical openings for light. This means that only light rays that approach your eyes vertically can fit through those openings. The lenses will block out all the horizontal light waves bouncing off a smooth pond or a shiny car hood, for instance. As a result, the image you see with polarized lenses is a bit darker than usual, but objects look crisper and clearer, and details are easier to see. People who use polarized sunglasses for long stretches of time, often say they are less tired than usual after hours of battling sun glare. People who fish, in particular, find polarized sunglasses drastically cut the glare and help them see into the water.4

For these reasons, polarized lenses can be great for afternoon and morning commutes when the sun may be shining directly in your eyes and the visor above it’s not offered enough help.

Car Accidents Caused by Sun Glare

The position of the sun can be an important factor in proving liability in a car accident case. At times I have had clients recall that the driver who hit them was not wearing sunglasses at the scene of the crash despite being blinded by sunlight.

Sharing this type of information could be useful to establish fault and to show that the Defendant could not possibly have seen the Plaintiff because of weather conditions and lack of proper eyewear.

Please take the steps to wear proper eye protection to help reduce your chances of being involved in an auto collision. If you have been in a car crash, do not hesitate to call Wolfe Law Group, LLC, Personal Injury Lawyers today at 404-348-0884.

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  1.  https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/georgia/atlanta
  2.  Life-threatening motor vehicle crashes in bright sunlight, by Donald A. Redelmeier, MD Medicine (Baltimore). 2017 Jan; 96(1): e5710 Published online 2017 Jan 10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5228668/
  3.  Id.
  4. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/polarized-lenses