Sunglasses
Available at: Everywhere
Price: $5 and up
Squinting into the sun means something – you need sunglasses. But for driving, it pays off to pick the right pair. Tint, lens, coating and glare protection should all come before style.
Pick a lens offering excellent UV protection that filters harmful rays, which ruin your eyesight and make those awful squint wrinkles. Go for colour-neutral grey and brown tinted lenses. Pink and blue have the propensity to make red light indistinguishable.
Polarized lenses reduce glare from the sun and nasty reflected light off water, chrome, snow and endless stretches of pavement.
Driving is all about seeing. Pick thinner frames curving slightly with your face offering protection from stray rays creeping in at your temples. Don't create new blind spots. Save the designer bug-eyed thick rims for the beach.
Price does not guarantee better sun protection – but damn, you look good in the better labels! At least look for the "CE" stamp on the arm signifying the lens meets a safe minimum level of sun protection. Pick a pair you are comfortable in and use. I've gone through my drugstore brands, my Vuarnet phase and now love my funky Oakleys. I figure because I feel good in the Oakleys, I'll leave them on my face and not on the tailgate. Again.
And finally, avoid sunglasses of any colour at night. Only Corey Hart can do that.
If you have questions about driving or car maintenance, please contact our experts at globedrive@globeandmail.com.
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