Unexpected driving danger

Prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet A (UVA) rays has been shown to increase the risk of cataracts and skin cancer, and now researchers in JAMA Ophthalmology report that car windows don’t fully protect against the harmful rays. In their comparison of 29 different cars, investigators found that the front windshield blocked about 96 percent of UVA rays, but the driver’s side window blocked as little as 44 percent. To reduce the risk, experts suggest wearing broadspectrum sunscreen and wraparound sunglasses on daytime drives longer than 20 minutes.