Internet Explorer 11 is no longer supported. Follow these simple tips to avoid getting into a St. Louis car accident caused by sun glare. Visit our professional site ». Driving-Tests.org. Utilize polarized sunglasses, which help to reduce glare from the sun. When the motorist's sight is impaired, they are immediately placed in a precarious situation. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The only defense against sun glare involves protecting yourself as much as possible when behind the wheel. The bright light can cause temporary blindness that distorts traffic control devices and makes it difficult to see the cars around you. There are a multitude of reasons why car accidents happen, leaving people injured and seeking the services of lawyers who work with people injured in auto accidents. If you aren’t familiar with the term, glare refers to the exceptionally bright light coming through your windshield. Even if you try to make adjustments by pulling down the driver’s side visor or leaning forward, an auto accident can occur. Lawyers who handle personal injury claims recommend keeping sunglasses in the car and using them on especially bright days to prevent a crash. According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, sun glare, an incident that occurs when the sun temporarily blinds drivers and impairs their ability to see the road, only causes a few hundred accidents in the U.S. a year. These tips will keep you safe while driving in direct sunlight. This figure could actually be quite low, since often it will not be listed as the sole cause of the accident. Unfortunately, this joy comes with a bit of frustration: Glare. A driver's best defense is to try to prevent auto accidents in the first place by minimizing sun glare. This figure could actually be quite low, since often it will not be listed as the sole cause of the accident. According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), sun glare is the culprit behind only a few hundred accidents in the U.S. every year. Sun glare occurs when the sun is rising or setting and it effectively blinds a driver on the road. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), sun glare results in hundreds of accidents each year in our country. Second only to slick or icy roads, auto accident lawyers can attest that even just a moment of glare that affects a driver’s vision can have devastating results. Safe driving and preventing injury car accidents are directly related to clear vision and an unobstructed view. A driver temporarily blinded by the bright light may inadvertently cause an accident, but sun glare is not a liability defense. However, and perhaps surprisingly, some studies indicate that as many as half of all traffic accidents involved sun glare as a cause. We recommend using Premium Login; Pass the First Time, Guaranteed. While sun induced glare only occurs during certain times of the day in fair weather, headlight glare is an ever-present hazard at night. Ways to Prevent Sun Glare Accidents. One recent study has shown that serious car accidents increase by 16% when it's very sunny and glare is present. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Threats: Crash Stats, February 2015.2National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, PubMed Central, Medicine (Baltimore), Life-threatening Motor Vehicle Crashes in Bright Sunlight, 1/10/17, 7930 Broadway St #122, The answer is no. Name However, other organizations believe sun glare accidents to … Sun glare is when the sunlight obstructs a vehicle’s windshield. Given these figures, can drivers successfully escape liability by blaming the sun? As a driver, if you were involved in a car accident where you believe sun glare was a factor, it is always advised to contact a skilled car accident lawyer for guidance. Although sun glare often happens suddenly, a driver who hits another driver’s vehicle because of sun glare could still be held liable for medical bills, lost wages, and similar damages. Microsoft Edge. It’s hard to say exactly how many vehicle accidents are caused by sun glare every year, but across the pond in the U.K., the Automobile Association (AA) estimates sun glare causes over 2,900 accidents annually on British roads. Prince Philip car crash: Duke of Edinburgh 'blamed sun glare' after flipping vehicle near Sandringham. Sun glare is unavoidable, so who is to blame for a car accident? Bright sunlight is directly related to car accidents that happen in the morning and afternoon. In the case before the court the defendant driver was making a left hand turn, turning west, at 4:05 pm in late February. The sun was setting, and it just plain blinded me. This makes it very difficult for a driver to see anything on the road in front of them. Parents – Protect Your Teen Drivers With These Tips! Running Red Lights – Why Are They Increasing So Much. Sun glare could be to blame for a two-car accident on the Princes Highway near Panmure Thursday morning. In a large number of cases that have gone to court, desperate drivers are using sun glare to explain how they managed to hit a child, ran into the back of another car, ran a red light or T-boned a motorcyclist. SUN-blindness may explain why a woman smashed through level crossing boom gates into the path of train at Dandenong yesterday morning. Although you may not be able to control the position of the sun, there are a number of precautions you can take to prevent the sun from causing an accident. Consequently, as many as 9,000 glare-related accidents occur each year, making sun glare one of the most common accidents resulting from environmental conditions. If you were in an accident that was partially caused by sun glare, you could be entitled to compensation. It happens to every driver. Driver liability is the harsh reality in sun glare situations. Sun-glare accidents are most common during the colder months when the trees lose their leaves, resulting in less cover from the sun’s light. Contact Peake & Fowler for Legal Help. Glare is caused by low angled sunlight and by car headlights at night. Thanksgiving Traffic Accidents – Why Do So Many Happen? When a driver's field of vision is compromised, the driver is in a precarious position. Texas Drivers And Work Zones – Why Do Accidents Happen? “Blinded By The Light”- Car Accidents Caused By Sun Glare ​ As we begin to head into our snowy season here in New England bad weather is sure to cause more car accidents. Sun Glare and Car Accidents Summer is prime time for car accidents resulting from sun glare. Since it is impossible to blame the sun itself, fault usually lies with the driver who was blinded by the glare and caused the collision, even though they did nothing to cause the sun glare that blinded them. Toll Free:888-277-7413 Though many believe God created the sun, according to the Book of Genesis, drivers cannot try to avert liability under an "Act of God" clause. Most drivers do not anticipate sun glare and thus do not have enough time to react when the sun overtakes them. A study on bright sunlight and the incidence of life-threatening motor vehicle accidents indicates that while there is an average accident risk on a day with normal sunlight, that risk increases by 16% when it is exceedingly sunny and glare is increased.2. Hot legal news! Injured in a Sun Glare Accident in South Carolina? Are you a legal professional? Q: I was driving up a hill to a signal, going the speed limit. I slowed down, quickly pulled down the visor, even leaned forward to try to see, bu… The team at the Simmrin Law Group can assess the facts of your accident and go over all of your losses. Although a high number of the accidents that injury claim attorneys see result from distracted driving, visual impairment is yet another cause of these events. The problem that personal injury lawyers face when overseeing accident cases where sun glare was a factor is how to establish fault. It plays a part in nearly 3,000 accidents every year with drivers at risk of being temporarily ‘blinded’ by the dazzle of the sun on the windscreen. The law assumes that the driver should plan for all predictable possibilities, including the high likelihood of sun glare. Passenger Vehicle (Car) Commercial Vehicle (CDL) Motorcycle; Most Popular; Behind the Wheel; Driving Tests; Driver Safety; Car Maintenance; Car Buying; Travel; CDL; … According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), sun glare causes a few hundred accidents in the US every year. Sun glare is actually a very common cause of accidents in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that sun glare causes a few hundred accidents per year, domestically. Unfortunately, many auto accident lawyers see that visibility issues due to sun glare can be more prominent on days when it is clear and sunny. Copyright © 2021, Thomson Reuters. Personal injury lawyers in particular find that sun glare can be very dangerous and result in numerous car accidents each year. 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