The DGT warns about which sunglasses you should not wear while driving

Driving in sunlight is both annoying and dangerous, which is why the Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) recommends reducing speed and not taking your eyes off the road to avoid possible glare. Moreover, not all sunglasses are suitable for driving. Depending on the type of lens, sunglasses can be dangerous.

The Directorate-General for Traffic does not prohibit the use of any type of sunglasses, but it does warn about the possible negative consequences of not wearing the right glasses. As the DGT has reported, “glasses used in snowy environments, where light reflection is most intense, have lenses with level 4 solar filtering that absorb 92% of ultraviolet rays, which can impair vision and worsen visibility while driving. They protect the eyes from the aggressiveness of UVA rays, but they impair the driver’s abilities when we are not in a context with so much sun reflection.”

Which sunglasses are most suitable?

The sunglasses most recommended for driving are those with polarized lenses and level 4 solar filtering. The lens colours should be soft and in shades of grey, brown, and even green so that they do not interfere with the surroundings or prevent you from distinguishing signs.

To improve visibility at the wheel, especially with the sun ahead, it is also very important to keep the car windows clean and free of smears, since the reflection of light could highlight them and prevent the driver from seeing clearly. If you are dazzled by the sun, maintain your trajectory and reduce your speed. Do not brake suddenly. With the sun ahead, it is advisable to stop for a few minutes so the sun changes position and no longer dazzles you. Turn on your car’s dipped headlights (if it does not have daytime running lights) to make yourself more visible to oncoming traffic. Use the sun visor only in specific moments, since it reduces the field of vision. Do not drive with sunglasses at night, in dark areas, or inside tunnels.