SAFE SUNNIES FOR DRIVING
Sunglasses aren’t just about looking cool — the right ones are crucial for driving safely
It’s always agoodidea to bring apair of sunglasses with you when you’re heading out on the road, because you never know when sunstrikemayoccur.
Manydrivers simply throw any old pair of sunnies on without muchthought, but there are a few things worth considering when choosing your shades.
If you’re considering investing in a newpair of sunglasses ahead of summer and plan to use them while driving, here are some pointers to help youmake a sensible choice.
Easy choice, right?
It’s not as simple as just picking up apair of Ray-bans and being done with it. Did you know choosing the wrong sunglasses can actually have a negative effect?
Somesunnies don’t let enough light enter, which impairs visibility; others, such as the classic Elton John rose-tinted glasses, can distort your vision.
Frames first
Whendriving, it’s important to keep your peripheral vision clear and protected from the sun. Oversized frames can obstruct your peripheral vision, which makes it harder to see hazards on the road and increases the risk of a collision.
Our recommendation is having large lenses with slim arms, like the classic “aviator”. Fun fact— aviator sunglasses were originally developed in 1936 by Bausch& Lombfor pilots, hence the name.
If you still want thicker arms, you could opt for wrap-around sunglasses. Their arms tend to be mounted further back, so your peripheral vision is not reduced and your eyes are still protected from the sun.
Lens colour
Choosing the wrong coloured lenses can negatively impacthow well adriver can see road signs and traffic lights, as well as spot potential hazards. Pink, blue and green lenses should generally not be worn while driving, as they can make traffic-light colours indistinguishable.
Someof the best sunglasses for driving are more neutral shades, such as brown and grey— purely because they don’t alter the colours you’re seeing.
Somesunglasses that are specifically designed for driving feature amber or yellowish tones which help assist with definition and clarity.
Whichever colour lenses you opt for, tint density is another important consideration and comesdownto personal preference. The density is usually marked on a scale of 0 (clear) to 4 (very dark), and is an important factor when determininghow muchlight passes through the lens.
Sunstrike is serious
Crash analysis by theaareveals that there were four deaths from crashes involving sunstrike during 2019, in addition to 25 serious injuries and 115 minor injuries.
Aaroad safety spokesman Dylan Thomsen says anticipating when sunstrike is likely to be an issue is the best way to prevent problems.
“Obviously, accidents will be less likely if motorists take the right measures to ensure they can see clearly. Goodvision is absolutely essential to safe driving, as are simple things like keeping your windscreen clean, using your headlights during the day and keeping agood following distance,” he says.
Choosing the right sunglasses should be given more thought than the old “one size fits all” approach. Andwhoknows . . . they might just save your life oneday.