ATLANTA — While many people are making grand plans to watch the total solar eclipse Monday afternoon, inevitably there will be a lot of people who either get caught out on the road or simply have no choice but to be in transit.
First of all the best advice is probably to stay off the road if you can. Research published in just the past couple of weeks showed that during the 2017 total solar eclipse an increase in fatal crashes during that period -- though it's important to note the research was inconclusive about whether that was "solely (due) to transient changes in ambient light" and at least partly a result of there just being more cars on the road during the eclipse travel period (which included the days before and after the eclipse itself).
But there are some simple tips for eclipse driving -- that, again, might sound obvious, but will help you if you're on the road during the eclipse today.
Can I drive during the solar eclipse?
The researchers who published the traffic fatality study on the last eclipse advise people to:
- Respect speed limits
- Minimize distractions
- Allow greater headway
- Wear a seatbelt
- Avoid driving while impaired
There are some other common-sense recommendations courtesy of 11Alive Traffic Tracker Crash Clark and the Georgia Department of Public Safety, which published some need-to-know tips for the last eclipse in 2017:
- Don't stop in the road or on the side of the road: If you're driving, get where you're going and then check the eclipse out. Pull into a parking lot if need be.
- Don't open your sunroof and look up at the eclipse: This one, hopefully, is obvious.
- Don't wear eclipse glasses while driving: They impair your vision. Additionally, if you are driving and craning your neck to catch the eclipse (which, again, don't do this) your sunglasses are not equipped for the eclipse.
- Don't use your phone: It's illegal at any time on the road in Georgia, and very obviously unsafe.
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