Sun glare can make a Mississippi roadway difficult to see, but liability still depends on whether each driver acted reasonably under the circumstances. A driver who knows that glare is limiting visibility may need to slow down, increase following distance, use a sun visor, or stop in a safe location when continuing would be unsafe.
Mississippi law requires drivers to use reasonable care. State law also requires drivers to reduce speed when certain roadway hazards are present and prohibits following another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent. When glare contributes to a crash, the central issue is usually how the driver responded to the reduced visibility.
Mississippi also follows a comparative negligence system. More than one person can share responsibility for the same collision, and an injured person’s compensation may be reduced according to that person’s percentage of fault.
Brad Morris Law Firm, PLLC represents people injured in car accidents throughout Oxford, Tupelo, North Mississippi, and nearby areas. Evidence such as photographs, dashcam footage, witness statements, vehicle damage, police reports, traffic-camera footage, and the position of the sun at the time of the crash may help establish how the collision occurred.
Learn more about Mississippi car accident claims:
https://www.bradmorrislawfirm.com/mississippi-car-accident-lawyers/
Brad Morris
Attorney
Who Can Be Liable for a Mississippi Car Accident Caused by Sun Glare?
In many glare-related crashes, liability may fall on a driver who failed to adjust to limited visibility.
Bright sunlight can make it harder to see traffic lights, stopped vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, lane markings, and other roadway hazards. Reduced visibility does not remove the need to drive with reasonable care.
A driver may be found negligent if that person:
- Continued driving at a speed that was unsafe for the visibility conditions
- Followed another vehicle more closely than was reasonable and prudent
- Failed to slow down after recognizing that glare was affecting visibility
- Entered an intersection without being able to see whether the path was clear
- Failed to use an available sun visor or another reasonable precaution
- Continued driving when visibility became so limited that doing so created an unreasonable risk
The key question is not simply whether the sun was bright. The issue is whether the driver’s response to the glare was reasonable under the circumstances.
Mississippi Code Section 63-3-505 requires drivers to decrease speed when certain hazards exist, including hazards involving pedestrians or other traffic. Mississippi Code Section 63-3-619 also requires drivers to maintain a reasonable and prudent following distance based on speed, traffic, and highway conditions.
Sun Glare Is a Factor in Determining Negligence
A driver may tell police officers or an insurance company that the sun blocked the view of a traffic signal, stopped vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, or another car. That fact may be relevant, but it does not automatically decide who is liable.
Fault usually depends on the full circumstances surrounding the crash. Investigators may consider how long the glare had been present, the direction of travel, the driver’s speed, following distance, road design, traffic conditions, and whether the driver had a reasonable opportunity to take precautions.
Reasonable precautions may include:
- Slowing down
- Increasing following distance
- Using the vehicle’s sun visor
- Keeping the windshield clean
- Wearing appropriate sunglasses
- Changing lanes when it can be done safely
- Pulling over in a safe location if visibility becomes dangerously limited
A driver who continues at the same speed despite being unable to see the roadway may be found to have acted unreasonably. The outcome depends on the evidence and the specific facts of the collision.
Common Types of Sun Glare Accidents
Sun glare can contribute to several types of car accidents in Mississippi.
Rear-End Collisions
A driver traveling into intense sunlight may fail to notice that traffic has slowed or stopped. Investigators may examine speed, following distance, braking, visibility, and how long the glare had been affecting the driver.
Intersection Accidents
Glare can make traffic signals, stop signs, vehicles, pedestrians, or cyclists harder to see. A driver who enters an intersection without confirming that the path is clear may share responsibility for a crash if the evidence shows that the driver failed to adjust to limited visibility.
Left-Turn Accidents
A driver making a left turn may fail to see an approaching vehicle because the sun is directly ahead. Liability can depend on whether the turning driver had a clear enough view to complete the turn safely and whether the driver took reasonable precautions.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
Low-angle sunlight can make pedestrians and cyclists more difficult to see. Drivers still need to watch the roadway and adjust their speed when visibility is reduced.
Lane-Departure Crashes
Glare can make lane markings, road edges, medians, or nearby vehicles harder to see. A driver who drifts out of a lane may be responsible if the evidence shows that the driver failed to respond reasonably to the limited visibility.
In Oxford, Tupelo, and other North Mississippi communities, the direction of travel, time of day, surrounding trees, hills, buildings, and road design can all affect the amount of glare a driver experiences.
What Evidence Can Help Prove Fault in a Sun Glare Accident?
Sun glare cases may require close attention to evidence that shows what the driver could see and how the driver responded.
Useful evidence may include:
- Photographs of the roadway from the driver’s direction of travel
- Photographs showing the position of the sun
- Dashcam recordings
- Traffic-camera recordings
- Surveillance video from nearby businesses or homes
- Witness statements
- The police crash report
- Vehicle damage
- Skid marks or debris
- Electronic vehicle data
- Cell phone records when distracted driving is suspected
- Weather and lighting information from the time of the collision
The exact time of the crash can be especially useful. Investigators may compare the driver’s direction of travel with the sun’s position to determine whether glare likely affected visibility.
Evidence may also show how long the driver had been facing the glare. A driver who had been traveling into bright sunlight for several minutes may have had more opportunity to reduce speed, increase following distance, or take another precaution.
Medical records are also significant in an injury claim. They can document your injuries, treatment, limitations, and accident-related medical expenses.
How Does Mississippi Comparative Negligence Affect a Sun Glare Claim?
Mississippi follows a comparative negligence system.
Under Mississippi Code Section 11-7-15, an injured person is not automatically barred from recovering damages because that person shares some responsibility for the accident. Instead, recoverable damages may be reduced in proportion to the injured person’s share of negligence.
Consider a hypothetical example.
Suppose another driver is found 80 percent responsible because that driver continued traveling at an unsafe speed despite severe glare. You are found 20 percent responsible because you made a separate driving error.
If your total proven damages were $100,000, a 20 percent allocation of fault to you could reduce the recoverable amount to $80,000.
This example is only for illustration. Actual fault percentages and damages depend on the evidence in each case.
An insurance company may argue that more than one driver should have reacted differently to the sunlight. Photographs, video, witness statements, vehicle data, and other evidence may help determine whether shared fault exists.
Learn more about Mississippi personal injury claims:
https://www.bradmorrislawfirm.com/personal-injury-attorneys-oxford-ms/
What Should You Do After a Sun Glare Car Accident?
Your health and safety should come first after a crash.
Call law enforcement and seek medical care when necessary. Some injuries do not produce immediate symptoms, so a medical evaluation can help protect your health and document injuries connected to the collision.
If you can do so safely, take photographs before vehicles are moved or lighting conditions change.
Try to photograph:
- The roadway
- Vehicle positions
- Vehicle damage
- Traffic lights and signs
- The direction each vehicle was traveling
- The location of the sun
- Skid marks
- Debris
- Nearby buildings or cameras
A photograph taken from approximately where the other driver was positioned, facing in that driver’s direction of travel, may help document the visibility conditions.
Witnesses may also provide useful information. Someone nearby may have seen a vehicle traveling too quickly, failing to brake, drifting between lanes, or approaching the collision area without slowing down.
When speaking with police officers or insurance representatives, describe what you personally observed. Avoid guessing about what another driver could or could not see.
How Long Do You Have to File a Mississippi Car Accident Claim?
Mississippi Code Section 15-1-49 generally provides a three-year limitations period for actions when another limitations period is not specifically provided by law.
The deadline for a particular car accident claim can depend on the facts, the identity of the defendant, when the claim accrued, and whether another law applies. Claims involving government entities or other special circumstances may have different notice requirements or deadlines.
Waiting can also make evidence harder to preserve before the legal deadline arrives.
For example:
- Surveillance recordings may be deleted
- Witnesses may forget details
- Vehicles may be repaired, sold, or destroyed
- Road conditions may change
- Temporary signs or obstructions may be removed
- Lighting conditions may be difficult to recreate
Sun glare claims can depend heavily on evidence tied to the exact time, place, and direction of travel. Speaking with an attorney early may help identify and preserve that evidence.
What Compensation May Be Available After a Sun Glare Crash?
If another driver’s negligence caused your injuries, you may be able to seek compensation for accident-related losses.
Depending on the facts of the case, recoverable damages may include:
- Past medical expenses
- Future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Other accident-related losses supported by evidence
The amount available in a claim depends on the injuries, medical treatment, available insurance coverage, evidence of fault, disputed liability, and other case-specific circumstances.
Serious injury claims may also require medical evidence regarding future treatment, permanent limitations, or changes in your ability to work.
How Can a Mississippi Car Accident Lawyer Help?
A glare-related crash can become disputed when an insurance company argues that sunlight, rather than a driver’s conduct, caused the collision.
A Mississippi car accident lawyer can investigate the crash, gather evidence, review insurance coverage, communicate with adjusters, and examine whether more than one party may share responsibility.
An attorney may also work to:
- Preserve video recordings
- Interview witnesses
- Review crash reports
- Examine vehicle damage
- Obtain available electronic vehicle data
- Review medical documentation
- Evaluate insurance coverage
- Analyze whether the other driver responded reasonably to reduced visibility
- Address allegations that you share responsibility for the crash
Learn more about attorney Brad Morris:
https://www.bradmorrislawfirm.com/attorney-brad-morris/
Talk With a Mississippi Car Accident Lawyer About a Sun Glare Crash
If sun glare contributed to your Mississippi car accident, the question of liability will usually depend on how each driver responded to the visibility conditions.
A driver who continued too quickly, followed too closely, entered an intersection without a clear view, or failed to take another reasonable precaution may be found negligent when the evidence supports that conclusion.
Brad Morris Law Firm, PLLC represents people injured in Mississippi personal injury accidents. The firm has offices in Oxford and Tupelo and serves clients throughout North Mississippi and nearby areas. The firm can review the circumstances of your collision, explain how Mississippi fault rules may apply, and identify evidence that may support your claim.
Contact Brad Morris Law Firm, PLLC:
https://www.bradmorrislawfirm.com/contact/
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Every case is different. You should consult an attorney about your specific circumstances.