If you have recently driven directly east between 7 to 9 in the morning, as I have, you’ll not forget looking directly into the blinding sun. Driving head-on into the blinding sun is due the position of the earth in relation to the sun during the days preceding and during the September equinox.  In the early morning the sun is low in the sky and directly east.  Then in the evening the sun is again low and directly to the west.

Although we can’t change the September light there are some valuable tips we can follow to reduce the chances of glare-induced accidents during this time.

• Wear your clean dark polarized sunglasses
• Don’t put reflective items on the dashboard
• Don’t drive “double-blind” – as we have written about before don’t text while driving (driving blind)
• Use your visor
• Keep your windshield super clean, inside and out

Its doubly important to drive with extra caution during September since there are several schools on our major east-west routes in Bend, Redmond and Sisters.  And with schools are enthusiastic students who assume that drivers are able to see all of their quick and unpredicted moves.

Our friends at EyeCare Specialities in Lincoln Nebraska alerted us to this timely article in the Lincoln Journal Star.  Nebraska reports that they have three times the number of glare-induced auto-related accidents in September than any other month.  Further 80% of these glare-induced auto-related accidents occur in the early morning or early evening when the sun is low and drivers are looking directly into blinding September sun.

http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_94275e8f-1d86-5c02-b383-dad91d2e7309.html