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Car Tips

UV Radiation and Driving: What You Need to Know

It may not be believable at first, but there’s more to keeping safe in your car than just the standard measures of safety bags, seatbelts, and a vehicle that’s in tiptop shape. A surprising danger that drivers and passengers all face whi...

27 July 20172 images
sunlight

It may not be believable at first, but there’s more to keeping safe in your car than just the standard measures of safety bags, seatbelts, and a vehicle that’s in tiptop shape. A surprising danger that drivers and passengers all face while inside a car is the risk of skin cancer due to excessive exposure to UV rays.

The Skin Cancer Foundation determined that “[n]early 53 percent of skin cancers in the US occur on the left, or drivers’, side of the body, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” – essentially, automobile drivers in the US are exposed to more ultraviolet radiation through the driver’s side window, which makes the left side of their body more susceptible to skin cancer. Drivers from the UK and other right-driving countries have more risk of skin cancer on that side as detailed in a report by Daily Mail UK Online.

sunlight

Three Types of UV Rays

  1. UVA – the most constant, year-round type of UV rays which penetrated the deeper layers of the skin. It is responsible for the immediate tanning effect and is also known as UV Ageing rays as it causes long-term skin damage and photo-ageing (premature ageing, wrinkles, and sun spots).
  2. UVB – this kind of UV ray cannot penetrate beyond the superficial layers of the skin. However, it is responsible for delayed tanning and burning. Most UVBs are filtered by the atmosphere and is often referred to as UV Burning rays. They are also the common cause of most skin cancers.
  3. UVC – the strongest and deadliest of solar rays. The ozone layer stopes these from reaching earth.

If UV rays are able to come in contact with human skin, they penetrate the outer layers and pass into the deeper layers. This can damage or kill skin cells.

What Types of Skin Cancer Can You Contract?

According to the World Health Organization, you can contract two types of skin cancers: non-melanoma and melanoma.

Non-melanoma skin cancers can be frequently found on parts of the body that are commonly exposed to the sun. Furthermore, a non-melanoma skin cancer can either be basal or squamous cell carcinoma – both are not usually fatal and can be treated surgically, but this can be painful and result in scars. A basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer, appears as a red lump or scaly area. While there are no clear precursors identified, they grow slowly and rarely spread to the other parts of the body (metastasize).

Squamous cell carcinomas, on the other hand, are the second most common form of skin cancer and appear as a thickened red scaly spot at body sites that are frequently exposed to UV radiation. Unlike basal cell carcinomas, they sometimes metastasize, and therefore, are more dangerous – but they also tend to be slow growing and can be removed before they become a serious risk.

Melanoma skin cancer, the rarest but most dangerous type of skin cancer, is one of the most common cancers among 20-to-35-year-olds, especially in New Zealand and Australia. They may arise as a new mole or an old skin mark (mole, spot, or mole) that changes color, shape, size, or sensation. They tend to have an irregular outline, patchy coloring, and are often itchy. Left untreated, the tumor can develop rapidly and the cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body.

UV Rays

UV Radiation Safety in the Vehicle

Avoiding UV radiation exposure while driving or while in your vehicle boils down to putting up the right defenses against the effects of your exposure. Here are some ways that you can do so:

  1. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15 to the exposed parts of your skin (face, arms, neck, and hands) half an hour before you drive. The Skin Cancer Organization also recommends finding a sunscreen with a combination of the following UVA-blocking ingredients: avobenzone, ecamsule, oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide.
  2. Cover your car windows with window tints that block up to 99% of the sun’s harmful UV rays. Research has shown that UV damage is more extensive on the side of the body that is closer to the windows, which can be subverted by window tinting.
  3. Wear clothing and other accessories that can help you block out UV rays and direct sunlight such as long-sleeved shirts, UV-blocking sunglasses, and wide-brimmed hats (for those with convertibles/sunroofs).
  4. Take care not to expose your skin too much to the sun. The second most common area for skin cancers was the arm, so avoid propping up your elbow on the open window while driving.

 

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