While the recent sunny weather is good news for Belgians hoping to catch some rays before winter, it can pose a serious risk to motorists. Every day, two accidents are caused by drivers being blinded by the sun.
"The sun is particularly glaring, so much so that you can sometimes find yourself completely blinded. This can be dangerous on the road, particularly while driving as 90% of information passes through our eyes," the Walloon Road Safety Agency (AWSR) warns.
Each year, there is a sharp increase in accidents relating to sunlight in September and October. At these times of year, the times at which the sun is at its lowest point, and thereby at eye level, coincides with peak rush hours. More concretely, this falls between 07:30 and 08:30 and between 18:20 and 19:20.
The majority of accidents occur during these times. This is not to say that these accidents do not also occur all year round; in total, 650 accidents take place across Wallonia each year.
Last year, 14 people were killed and 960 injured as a result of these incidents. An AWRS survey showed that 40% of Walloon drivers say that they have had, or have nearly had, an accident because they were dazzled by the sun.
While drivers are most likely to be victims of dazzling incidents, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are often collateral victims. Pedestrians account for around one third of victims.
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The AWSR advises motorists to always carry a pair of sunglasses with them, to clean their windshields well to ensure full visibility, and to adjust their seat correctly so that the sun visor can be used effectively. On sunny days, drivers should adapt their speed accordingly.
"Exiting a tunnel can be particularly risky," a spokesperson warned. "It can take a few seconds to regain optimal vision. In one second at 90 km/h, we already cover around 25 metres. It is therefore better to prepare yourself before coming out by lowering your sun visor, putting your glasses back on and slowing down."
Over the past 50 years, over 80,000 road fatalities were reported in Belgium. Last year, one pedestrian or cyclist was killed every two days, according to the VIAS road safety institute.
