Whether you like it or not, glare is something that all motorists have to deal with. It can come from the low sun at this time of year. It can also come from the high beams of oncoming cars on the road. Glare can not only be a distraction but it can also be a nuisance. Fortunately there are a few ways that you can avoid glare when on the road. Read on to find out how.
There is a wide range of different things that can cause you to see glare or streaks on your windows. For many people the first reaction is to grab the window and glass cleaner from under the sink. Unfortunately, domestic glass cleaners contain ammonia which can remove some of your windscreen’s tint. Your best bet is to use a dedicated car window spray. The best way to use this is to first wipe the windscreen so that it is completely dry. Then, apply the windscreen cleaner to a cloth before buffing the windscreen. This is opposed to simply sparing it directly onto your car’s windscreen.
Check your windscreen wipers
Not many people seem to know this, but even the best-quality window wiper blades will only last somewhere in the region of 12 months. After this time the rubber on the blades will begin to perish. This means that they will not work as efficiently. The most obvious sign of this is if your wipers leave a line on the windscreen when you use them. This line is then exacerbated when cars come the other way with their headlights on. It’s easy to change the wiper blades on any car, as they are consumables and are designed to be replaced frequently. There’s no shortage of online motor factors that make it quick and easy to find the right size wiper blades for your vehicle.
Adjust your mirrors
While many newer cars will have an auto-dimming feature on their rear-view mirror, some cars will not. This is particularly the case for bottom-of-the-range cars or older cars. On such mirrors it is a good idea to adjust them slightly so that you alter the direction of the reflection without impacting your view too much.
Get your eyes tested
Do you tend to see more glare in the late afternoons when the day is coming to an end? If so, then you may need glasses. If you already wear glasses and have this problem then it may be that your current glasses do not have an anti-reflection coating on the lenses. You can now get polarised lenses which eliminate glare and are a godsend for motorists who are visually impaired.
Leave a gap
More and more drivers report seeing glare when driving in front of newer cars. This is because many such cars tend to have LED lights, which are brighter than halogen bulbs. Recent safety legislation also dictates the position of headlights on the front of modern cars. They now have to be higher up, which means they are more likely to shine into the back window of your car. The logical thing to do would be to get closer to the car behind so that the back of your car shields you from the light. However the opposite is in fact true. The further away you are from the light source, the more the light will dissipate. This means that you can reduce the glare if you leave a larger gap between your car and the one behind.
Look beyond
When we see a light in the dark we instinctively look at it. And it we look at a bright light for a long period of time we can subconsciously drawn towards it. This is also the case when driving. If you can see a car in the distance that is coming towards you and is already beginning to cause glare, then try to look beyond the car as opposed to directly at it. This will allow your eyes to focus on other items instead of the beams of the other car, making glare less of an issue.
Consider stopping
Glare is something that just happens when driving at night, and that’s the way that it should be. If you’re driving on less well-lit, smaller roads it can be a big problem. It’s easy for oncoming cars and cars behind you to blind you. It’s important to realise that if you’re feeling dazzled to the point that it is affecting your vision, then you can always stop. Find a safe way to pull over and let your eyes adjust for a few minutes before proceeding with your journey. Remember it’s always better to arrive to your destination a little bit late than it is to not make it due to having a collision or worse.
How do I know if my windscreen wiper blades need replacing?
A telltale sign that your wiper blades need changing is if they leave water line son the windscreen when in use. It's a good idea to change them at least every 12 months regardless
Can I use window and glass spray to clean my windscreen?
While domestic glass cleaner will effectively clean your windscreen, over time the amonia in it can break down the components of your windscreen which could make glare much worse in the future
How we reviewed this article:
Our experts continually monitor motor industry news & research, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
- 20th November 2023
Current Article - By Harry Edwell - 19th December 2023
Checked & Reviewed - By Sjoerd Bakker - 17th November 2023
Copy Edited - By Gary McKrill - 9th November 2024
Reviewed - By Gary McKrill
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