Is sun glare while driving on I-5 blinding you? Here’s how to combat it
Any Washingtonian who has to drive northbound or southbound along Interstate 5 - particularly between Olympia and Tacoma - in the morning and evening knows the daily pain of the journey.
The rising sun shines directly down some highway passages and into driver’s faces in the morning, making driving extremely difficult and dangerous during rush hour. On the ride home, the same issue rears its ugly head as the sun sets in the west and cars are driving southbound.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted a survey that found of the approximately 2.2 million crashes in the study, 52,000 were due to environmental factors. Of those 52,000 crashes, the study attributes about 17% of those (8,840) to sun glare.
How to reduce sun glare
The American Automobile Association recommends slowing down when encountering glare and using extra caution. But aside from just slowing down, here’s what else AAA recommends to help combat nature’s hazards:
Purchase a pair of polarized sunglasses. These glasses specifically reduce glare and are often used for driving, hiking and around water. Polarized sunglasses can be purchased online and at places like local mall Sunglass Hut.
Utilize your sun visor — many visors pop out of place and swing to the side if the sun enters through the door window.
Similar to when it’s raining, leave extra room from the car in front of you. Glare can make it tough to notice when traffic is slowing or if the vehicle in front of you has stopped.
If driving on a smaller road, you can turn on your headlights to increase your visibility for people going in the opposite direction. AAA also recommends purchasing a lens-polishing kit from an auto repair store to reduce glare on your own headlights.
Use lane markers to help guide you.
Keep your windshield clean on the inside and out. Dirt and other particles on the windscreen can increase your glare.
What is Washington doing to help?
The Washington State Department of Transportation’s roadside manual outlines the primary considerations the department looks at when constructing new roads or looking to improve older roads.
The department has a section about sun glare and believes that constructing or adding roadside features to block the sun or other reflective surfaces is most helpful. The manual’s three points are:
Glare can be blocked by vegetation, walls, and strips of raised land, known as a berm.
Vegetation in the median can block sun and headlight glare.
Evergreen shrubs and trees can help block glare year-round.
This story was originally published July 26, 2023 at 2:04 PM.
