Should You Wear Sunglasses While Driving?

Does wearing sunglasses while driving really make a difference?

Due to the nature of driving and the conditions created by the road and your vehicle, wearing sunglasses while driving really can help to protect you in several important ways. Read on to learn more about how sunglasses can improve your driving experience and protect you from harm. While you're at it, be sure to check out the sunglasses trends for fall 2017 to learn about the most popular sunglasses styles!

Protection for Your Eyes

You may feel like you’re “indoors” when you’re driving (unless you drive a convertible), but your eyes are not protected from the sun just because you’re sitting in a vehicle. That’s one reason it’s important to wear sunglasses while you drive or ride in a car.

This is especially critical if you have a long commute each day. The cumulative UV damage to your eyes could lead to long-term problems with your vision. It’s important to wear sunglasses when there's a lot of snow on the ground, as well--check out our guide on why you should wear sunglasses in the winter. Worried about leaving your sunglasses in the car? Here's a look at how people lose sunglasses and how to prevent it.

Clearer Vision in the Rain

Have you ever seen people wearing sunglasses while driving in the rain? It may seem a little ridiculous, but these people actually know what they’re doing, because wearing polarized sunglasses in the rain can actually help to improve your visual acuity.

Rain scatters the light and creates an atmospheric effect that's very similar to fog. Donning a pair of polarized sunglasses can eliminate the scattering effect and allow you to see clearly while it’s raining.

Reduced Sun Glare

Blinding sunshine can be extremely dangerous to drivers and pedestrians alike. Fortunately, certain types of sunglasses lenses can significantly reduce the amount of sun glare you experience while driving.

Polarized lenses are especially good at reducing sun glare and helping you to see clearly in the morning and late afternoon. Here’s why.

Light normally scatters in all directions, but when it hits a flat, horizontal surface, it becomes polarized, meaning it moves in a more uniform direction. This intense reflection of light causes glare and reduces visibility. Drivers are especially susceptible to glare because the sun hits horizontal surfaces like the street and the hood of your car, making it difficult to see clearly.

Polarized sunglasses have a special filter in the lenses that blocks light reflected by horizontal surfaces. As a result, wearing polarized sunglasses while you drive can help you see better and keep you safer.

Better Health

When you drive on bright days, the amount of light reaching your retina can be very high. In fact, the retina may not be able to close enough to effectively reduce the amount of light entering your eye. That’s why people squint when they’re driving in bright sunlight, but this very natural response can take its toll, causing headaches and nausea. Wearing sunglasses can prevent these problems by filtering out bright lights to keep your eyes comfortable.

Lens Color Matters

Not all sunglasses are equal when it comes to driving. Research has found that pink, blue, and green lenses make it difficult to distinguish red traffic lights. The best lens colors for driving sunglasses are gray and brown. Since they’re color-neutral, they don’t interfere with important color contrasts like those we encounter in traffic lights. Yellow and amber-toned lenses are also good lens colors for driving sunglasses. Be sure to check out the benefits of mirrored sunglasses as you're considering your options.

Choosing Sunglasses for Driving

Polarized sunglasses are best suited for driving. They help you to see better in glare conditions like bright light and rain. It’s important to remember, though, that polarized sunglasses make it difficult to read LCD screens, so you may need to remove them if your car has any LCD screens with which you'll need to interact.

Also, remember that lens color is an important factor for driving sunglasses. The very best sunglasses for driving will have neutral-colored polarized lenses.

Take a look at the many fashionable sunglasses we have that are well suited for wearing while driving. We have a full range of men's sunglasses, women's sunglasses, and unisex sunglasses. For the best custom-cut sunglasses NYC has to offer, get in touch with us, order a pair online, or check out our pop up shows!