A driving experience expert is warning motorists to take extra precautions this autumn following a reported 39 per cent increase in collisions due to drivers being dazzled by the sun.
Furthermore, the Department for Transport’s (DfT) latest road collision data* highlighted that out of 5,877 collisions where a driver’s vision was cited as being affected by external factors, 2,033 (35 per cent) of them were due to car drivers being dazzled by the sun, the highest number in the category.
The data has led Dan Jones, Operations Manager at the UK’s largest driving experience provider, TrackDays.co.uk, to warn motorists about the need to take extra precautions this autumn or be prepared to pay the price if they fail to slow down when the sun impairs their vision.
He warned: “While most of the UK is enjoying this belated sunny weather following a drab summer, autumn is actually the time of the year when the sun’s glare can be at its worst.
“During the autumn, the sun sits lower in the sky meaning extra precautions are required by drivers. The Highway Code is clear that you could face a hefty fine if you do not react appropriately when driving in certain weather conditions.”
According to the Highway Code, rule 237, it states that if a driver is ‘dazzled by bright sunlight,’ they should ‘slow down and if necessary, stop’. Currently, drivers could be fined up to £5,000 if they fail to adhere to these rules.
TrackDays launched its Driving Lessons to provide a range of packages including its Safer Driving Course, which better equips motorists to deal with driving in almost all weather conditions and situations arising from this.