Blinded by the Sun: Who’s at Fault in a Sun Glare Crash?
You’re driving home from work, heading west as the sun dips toward the horizon. In an instant, everything disappears into a wall of white light. You can’t see the car stopped ahead of you. You can’t see the red light. And then—impact.
Sun glare crashes happen every single day. The question victims almost always face afterward: Can the other driver really blame the sun?
How Common Are Sun Glare Accidents?
More common than most people realize. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are about 9,000 glare-related car accidents each year—making it the second most dangerous environmental factor in crashes, right behind slick roads. And because most drivers don’t list sun glare as the cause on an insurance claim, AAA data suggests NHTSA’s number is actually an underestimate.
A peer-reviewed study found that drivers are approximately 16% more likely to be involved in a life-threatening crash during bright sunlight conditions—a risk that spikes during morning and evening commutes when the sun sits lowest on the horizon. Safe to say, the sun is a real problem.
“The Sun Was in My Eyes” Is Not a Legal Defense
Here’s what negligent drivers and their insurance companies don’t want you to know: being blinded by the sun does not excuse causing an accident. Every driver has a legal duty to exercise due care no matter what the weather conditions are—and due care requires behaving differently depending on those conditions.
Sun glare is entirely foreseeable. Drivers know when and where the sun rises and sets. They know their morning commute takes them eastbound at sunrise, or their evening drive puts them westbound at dusk. The law expects them to prepare: slowing down, increasing following distance, using a sun visor, wearing polarized sunglasses, or pulling over when visibility becomes dangerously impaired.
A driver who fails to take any of those precautions and crashes into you is negligent. Period.
What to Do After a Sun Glare Crash
Sun glare crashes can leave you feeling dazed. Nevertheless, it’s important to protect yourself as best as you can following one:
- Seek medical attention immediately, even if injuries seem minor
- Document the scene, including your direction of travel and the time of day
- Avoid speculative statements and let investigators determine the cause
- Contact an attorney before speaking to any insurance adjuster
Don’t let the other driver off the hook because of something as predictable as the sun. You deserve full compensation for your injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
The Law Offices of Tim Misny can help you with your accident claim. When a negligent driver’s failure to adjust for dangerous conditions leaves you injured, I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call my office at (877) 944-4373 so I can evaluate your case right away.
