A new study found that even though you’re very well protected from the sun’s UV-A rays from your car’s front windshield, you’re probably exposed to the unhealthy radiation from the side windows.
It’s a widely-known fact that prolonged exposure to ultraviolet A (or UV-A) rays can increase one’s chances of developing skin cancer and cataracts. And taking into consideration the long hours many Americans drive each day, are our cars really safe?
One researcher in California set out to determine if our vehicles offer enough sun protection. For the study, Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, working at the Boxer Wachler Vision Institute in Beverly Hills, analyzed samples of glass from 29 cars manufactured by 15 different carmakers.
Wachler measured the levels of ambient UV-A radiation from two locations in the car: behind the driver’s side window and behind the front windshield. All the cars examined in the study were produced between 1990 and 2014.
Overall, windshield windows offer good UV-A protection against, but as far as the car’s side windows are concerned, protection was significantly lower and inconsistent, according to the study’s findings.
While the front windshields kept at bay an average of 96 percent of UV-A rays, the side windows were only 71 percent successful. In total, just 14 percent of the tested cars were deemed to offer a high-enough level of side-window UV-A protection.
But what exactly is the problem with being exposed to UV-A rays? Researchers explain that it could contribute to a higher prevalence of skin cancer on the left side of the drivers’ faces, as well as cataracts in the left eye.
Based on the new data, Wechler believes that “automakers may wish to consider increasing the degree of UV-A protection in the side windows of automobiles.” His conclusions were supported by Dr. Doris Day, a skin cancer expert and dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
According to her assessment, UV-A rays have the potential to be especially dangerous to the skin. “The World Health Organization has designated all wavelengths of ultraviolet radiation as known carcinogens,” said Day in a statement.
This is a problem especially for people who have daily commutes or their jobs require them to spend extended periods in the car. The solution? Wear sunscreen and make sure it has protection protects against both UV-A and UV-B rays.
Image Source: Geico
Roxanne Briean
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