You may have heard by now of the truck driver whose story was released in the New England Journal of Medicine. This 69-year-old man drove his truck for 28 years and during that time on the road the left side of his face was almost constantly exposed to direct sunlight, which carries with it UVA and UVB rays that cause damage to the skin.
The image of this man’s face is probably as surprising to you as it was to us, and the damage to his skin is apparent. Standard side windows on big rigs provide no protection against UVA rays and partial protection from UVB rays, and years of constant exposure can be devastating both to your appearance, as with this man’s case, and possibly your health in the form of skin cancer.
Applying sunscreen to your face every morning is one way to take on the sun. However, as a trucker spending most of your working hours on the road, the most effective way to combat UVA exposure inside your vehicle is installing window tint film. Window tint films such as CarbonXP made by Suntek, which we carry, provide you with many benefits including UV rejection of over 99%. That means no matter how many hours you’re on the road, less than 1% of any UVA and UVB rays will ever make it through your windows.
Of course, you need a window tint film that is non-metal (won’t interfere with radio, GPS and other electronics) and has superior heat rejection, and CarbonXP delivers on both. The main benefit though is making sure your skin stays healthy, and personal health is something we should never compromise on. Covering up with long-sleeve shirts and wearing the right sunglasses are good ways to help prevent UVA ray exposure, but long-sleeves and glasses will not help protect your hands and face. Window tint ensures that the vast majority of the sun’s harmful rays never enter your vehicle to begin with, and that any exposed skin is protected.
Considering the skin damage truckers may be faced with after years of direct sunlight, investing in a quality window tint application is more than a worthwhile investment. If you operate a fleet of trucks, we hope you will consider having UVA-blocking window tint film installed on any trucks that do not already have it. As always, the window tint experts at DeDona Tint & Sound are here for all your tinting needs. Since 1996 we have done quality work for private vehicles, dealerships, and business fleet vehicles. For more information about our tint products and pricing, give us a call today at (336) 851-1300.