Polarized sunglasses are good for driving.
Polarized sunglasses are not good for driving.

Sunlight, as well as some artificial light, radiates in all directions and can reflect off a flat surface–think roadway or other vehicles–in such a way the vibrations align in one plane causing glare.  This phenomenon is called polarization.

Polarized sunglass lenses are good for driving because they by design block horizontal glare.  The problem with polarized lenses is they don’t play well with new automotive technology.

Heads-up displays, like those on the 2015 Hyundai Genesis, work by reflecting images off the windshield in a horizontal plane.  LCD technology and many digital readouts/instrument clusters rely on polarizing filters that can cause their images to disappear if viewed through polarized lenses.  If you are like us and mainly rely on your smartphone to serve as your GPS, polarized lenses can also make your phone screen appear blank.

If you choose not to wear polarized lenses, most experts agree grey is the best color tint for driving.  Grey reduces brightness and glare and is a neutral tint allowing the wearer to see colors in their purest form.

image courtesy of Oakley