In a recent statistical study by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis, sanctioned by the National Highway Safety Commission, motor vehicle accidents caused by glare accounted for over a 1/3 of the motor vehicle accidents reported nationwide. In some cases, those accidents resulted in death or permanent maiming of drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Consider the following:

  “I remember driving to drop my son off at day care. “says 35 year old Monica Ruiz of Dallas, (name changed to protect privacy), “After I dropped him off, I circled around the drive and turned right. The sun was so bright, even with my dark sunglasses on; it blinded me for about 7 seconds.” That’s all it took for  Ruiz to hit a 67 year old woman who had started to cross the street. It didn’t kill the woman, but caused broken bones and an extensive recovery time.

Leroy Carter, a bright, up-and-coming law student, wasn’t so lucky. Carter, age 23, drove a delivery truck for a local contractor. One hot, bright Friday evening in 2011, he had a final delivery to make. Going westbound on  I35 W, according to onlookers, he signaled to change lanes, heading for an off ramp. As he drove around a bend, the sun  glared directly onto his windshield. It apparently blinded him to having a clear view to make a lane change. He hit two other vehicles and crashed into a construction barrier. He did not survive. Police reported the main contributing cause of the accident was sun glare.

Don’t even think twice about not having automotive window tint installed. Whether you choose to do it yourself or, preferably, have a licensed tinting professional install an appropriate automotive tint, just make the choice to shade your windows. You don’t want to become another statistic. Automotive tinting saves lives. One day, it just might be yours.