Detroit remains the auto capital of the world. It also is the auto accident capital of Michigan, which makes it especially important to be wary of driving conditions. Most people fully understand the problems of driving in rainy conditions or on icy roads in the winter. Yet, those conditions are not present during most auto accidents in Michigan.
Instead of bad weather and road conditions, a surprising culprit often contributes to accidents in Michigan. That contributing culprit is the sun, which is very surprising considering the long winters, rainy days, and long nights that often prevail throughout the year. The 2020 Michigan Traffic Crash Facts that were compiled and published by the Michigan State Police show nearly three-fourths of accidents happen in good weather with nearly 60 percent of all accidents happening when it is sunny outside.
Drivers Often Blinded by Bright Sunlight
Direct sunlight that strikes your eyes is a truly disorienting experience. You cannot see while the sun is in your eyes and afterward have to deal with the bright flare that remains for potentially several minutes afterward. Your vision is compromised, and so is your ability to drive. Wearing sunglasses and using a sun visor certainly can help, but those are not foolproof defenses against many dangers of driving into sunlight.
Even the sun reflecting off of the roadway can be very blinding. That is especially true on bright and sunny days with snow on the ground. The sun will reflect off of the white snow and could reflect off of wet roads if the sun warms them up enough to cause snowmelt. The dangers of driving in sunlight are more pronounced when the sun is rising in the morning and setting in the late afternoon. The lower the sun is in the sky, the easier it is to blind you – even when it is off to one side or the other.
Simple Precautions Could Help to Prevent Sunny Accidents
When driving in bright sunlight, you should try to wear polarized sunglasses that help to block harmful UV rays. You might add a sunshade to one or both side windows up front or tint your windows so that they are fully protected against the sun on either side. You cannot tint the windshield, but installing a windshield with some tint at the very top can help to prevent sun blindness. You also should slow down and do your best to pay attention to traffic conditions.
If you are struck by another vehicle while driving in sunny conditions, you should retain a Detroit based car accident attorney that motorists can count on, to help uphold their legal rights and file strongly supported auto insurance claims. If necessary, the attorney also can file a court case and depose witnesses and any offending motorists.
