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Rush hour was a chaotic mess. Instead of a steady flow, vehicles were clumping in groups and coming to a stop in unpredictable patterns. Eventually, the cause became apparent. Up ahead, dump trucks and other heavy machinery, as well as groups of road construction crews, were working on the highway. To make matters worse, the setting sun was wreaking havoc on westbound motorists, causing some to find creative ways to block the glare so they could see to drive.

The road crew was working on a section of both the eastbound and westbound lanes on a divided four-lane highway. This section of highway was further divided into subzones, with crews funneling traffic into one-lane corridors. Vehicles were ushered through the zones by warning signs and flaggers.

Unfortunately, the road crews failed to control all of the intersecting ingress and egress points along the highway. As a result, some drivers were entering the highway from an access point with a limited sight distance. There were numerous close calls as vehicles swerved to avoid collisions. The road crews weren’t immune to the danger either. Because they were facing westbound traffic, they were at the mercy of the sun-blinded drivers, frequently dodging passing cars and trucks.

As the commute dragged on, drivers grew more aggressive. Cars were darting in and out of traffic lanes, and following distances vanished as the westbound traffic slowed to a bumper-to-bumper crawl. The sun’s angle also had become more intrusive, making brake lights nearly impossible to see.

I crept cautiously through the westbound traffic. When I reached the last series of construction subzones, the flagger signaled motorists to resume to the posted speed limit. They were more than happy to speed up — despite the continued reduced visibility due to sun glare. As I rounded a curve, another westbound vehicle started passing my car. Suddenly, a pickup truck pulled out of a side road and into the lane ahead of me and stopped. At the same time, the sun washed out my vision.

Unable to judge closing distance or change lanes to avoid a collision, my car T-boned the pickup at almost 45 mph. My airbag deployed as the seat belt locked, slamming me back into my seat and stopping my forward motion. The impact was violent enough to launch the tools from my backseat through the shattered windshield. The pickup's fuel tank ruptured, spilling gasoline across the pavement, which pooled in front of my crumpled car.

Dazed but uninjured, I managed to safely get away from the wreckage. Soon afterward, emergency medical service personnel and law enforcement arrived, securing the scene and transporting me to the hospital. The pickup driver was cited for causing the accident. He was also unhurt, as most of the impact was on the truck’s bed right behind the cab. After being looked over at the hospital, I was released.

Lesson learned

The blinding sun and aggressive drivers are a lethal combination. After 40 years of driving in every imaginable condition, this was my first accident. It was a harsh reminder that no matter your skill or experience, you are always at the mercy of the other driver. That day, my seat belt saved my life.

FYI

The rising and setting sun can result in highway havoc for motorists. So, what can they do to protect themselves? AAA offers the following tips:

• Invest in polarized sunglasses, which can help reduce glare.
• Use your sun visor. It can help to block out the sun.
• Leave more following room. When the sun is in your eyes it can be hard to see what the car ahead is doing. This is one more instance where it pays to leave extra room between you and the next vehicle.
• Drive with your headlights on to increase your visibility to other drivers.
• Keep the windshield clean, inside and out.
• Check the windshield for pitting and cracks.
• Avoid storing papers or other items on the dashboard.
• If having a difficult time seeing the road, use lane markings to help guide you.