Even the best drivers can feel a little less safe on the road when bright sunlight gets in the way, impacting your ability to see clearly. Sunglasses with specific lenses can help to improve clarity and help you feel a little safer while you’re out on the roads. Here’s our guide to finding the right driving sunglasses for you.
Can you wear sunglasses while driving?
It is important to comply with the highway code when driving in sunglasses. According to the AA, the most heavily tinted sunglasses should not be worn while driving day or night as they only transmit between 3%-8% of light.1 Lenses considered unsuitable for night driving have a light transmission of less than 75% or are yellow tinted.1
What are the dangers of driving in bright, sunny conditions?
Light reflected from surfaces like windscreens, mirrors and flat road surfaces can all obscure vision, making it difficult to see the road ahead. At certain times of the day, the sun sits on the horizon and can shine directly into your eyes, often causing reduced visibility.
But it’s not just on sunny days that sunlight can obscure your vision – in snowy or rainy weather, sunlight can reflect off wet road surfaces too. Bright conditions can also lead to reduced contrast perception. Contrast allows you to see objects that are not clearly outlined against the background, so poor contrast can make it difficult to see pedestrians and read road signs.
What are the best sunglasses for driving?
A good-quality pair of sunglasses can help to reduce eye strain and squinting by reducing the amount of light that enters your eyes, giving you a clearer, more comfortable view of the road ahead.
Sunglasses with category 3 lenses are best for daytime driving conditions — any higher is considered too dark to drive safely. For low light and night-time driving when sunglasses are not suitable, our UltraClear SuperClean lenses help to reduce reflections (such as from signage and street lights) experienced while driving.
There are also lens treatments you can add to sunglasses and prescription glasses to enhance your comfort and help improve your driving vision. These range from polarising lenses to tints that help to improve contrast perception.
Learn more about UV protection and sunglasses categories here.
Polarised sunglasses for driving
Polarising lenses (or polarised lenses) reduce light glare reflected from flat, horizontal surfaces like roads, which is why they can be a great option for driving sunglasses. They can also help to improve contrast perception and offer UV protection. Polarising lenses can sometimes affect the viewing of LCD displays though, so that’s something to bear in mind when wearing them.
Tinted glasses for driving
It’s also possible to add a specialist tint to your prescription glasses to give you a clearer view of the road while driving. This option is great for those who don’t like the darkened vision that driving sunglasses offer, but still want some added protection against light glare and UV rays during the day.
What colour lens is considered best for driving?
Grey, amber, and brown tinted lenses are most often preferred for driving. Pink, red, and blue tints are not recommended for driving sunglasses because, although stylish, they can distort colours on traffic lights. Our sun and UV tints in brown, grey and green offer great UV protection and can help to soften harsh lights and relieve eye strain. It is important to remember not to drive in tinted sunglasses at night, as they can make it even harder to see in the dark and can make your vision worse. For more information on specific lenses, head to our resource on anti-glare driving glasses.
Varifocal sunglasses
If you’re a varifocal wearer, then a regular pair of sunglasses won’t be enough to improve your overall driving vision. Instead, you might benefit from a varifocal lens for driving, which can also be ordered as sunglasses or polarising sunglasses for sunnier days.
Our SuperDrive varifocal lenses have a super-wide distance and middle zone to give you a clear view of the road ahead, as well as things in close-range, like your sat-nav and wing mirrors. SuperDrive varifocals come with our UltraClear SuperClean Smart treatment as standard, which helps to reduce reflections and dazzle caused by headlights and street lighting.
What style of driving sunglasses is best?
The best pair of driving sunglasses will differ based on your vision requirements and, of course, your tastes.
Classic pilot style frames are an all-time favourite for driving sunglasses. They were originally designed for pilots to help them see clearly while flying in extremely bright conditions. This makes them a good option for drivers because their teardrop shape prevents light entry from all angles, which is great for protecting against UV damage.
Wraparound-style sunglasses are also a popular choice for those particularly affected by light glare from all angles. Their larger lenses and close fit provide maximum coverage from the sun, almost like a windshield for your eyes, making them a good option while on the road.
For more information and inspiration, visit our buyer’s guide, or see our full range of sunglasses here.
Our #LoveGlasses blog
Try on glasses online
Buy glasses online
References
- The AA. (no date). Which shades are best to wear behind the wheel? [Online]. Available at: https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/safety/driving-in-sunglasses [Accessed 26 May 2022].