April 5, 2024
Are You Driving During the Total Solar Eclipse?
On April 8th, 2024, the US, Canada, and Mexico will experience a total solar eclipse, the first since 2017. Whether the eclipse sparks interest or not, it can affect truck drivers on the road, so knowing what to expect will save you from unexpected delays and surprises.
What is a Total Solar Eclipse?
There are different types of eclipses, but a total solar eclipse is one of the rarest. The moon moves before the sun during this time, blocking some or all of its light, depending on your location. Most of North America will experience seeing the moon cover at least some of the sun. The Nasa website can help identify specific times for the eclipse based on your location.
NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio
The areas in the eclipse’s path of totality will see the moon completely cover the sun, making it seem like nighttime came early. The sun’s corona will be visible during totality, proving a beautiful sight. This eclipse will be even rarer because the sun’s magnetic field is supercharged, which can result in fireworks displays of solar flares and coronal ejections that may be visible during totality.
How Can Driving Be Affected During an Eclipse?
Crowds traveling and preparing to view the eclipse will cause traffic this weekend and the days leading up to April 8th. After the eclipse, there will also be crowds and heavy traffic filled with people heading back home, which truckers should also be aware of.
This solar eclipse is expected to be the most watched ever due to the size of the path of totality. There are nearly triple the number of people living along this path compared to 2007’s eclipse. Truck drivers are advised to check useful apps for updates on traffic and congestion. Texas will be most crowded on April 8th, particularly the Dallas area, a prime location in the totality zone. Expect bottlenecks in Dallas and other cities in the totality zone. Indiana and Ohio are also expected to receive plenty of extra tourists looking for the best places to witness the event.
In locations that experience the path of totality, the day will look like night for a few minutes while the moon completely covers the sun. Truckers must be aware of wildlife when driving in a totality area because animals may get confused, causing increased road activity.
How Can Drivers Safely View the Total Solar Eclipse?
The most important thing to remember during an eclipse is not to look directly at it. Apart from a few minutes during totality, looking directly at an eclipse is extremely dangerous and can cause severe eye damage. Being a safe driver means pulling over when fatigue hits and when curiosity does. Never try to look up at an eclipse while driving. Even a couple of seconds can cause blurred vision and impair a driver.
If you get the urge to check out the eclipse, especially if you know you’ll be in a totality zone, pull over and use a safe method to view it. Special solar viewing glasses are required to witness an eclipse safely, and with this one gaining popularity every day, there are plenty of places to get them, from Lowes to your cellular provider. Regular sunglasses are NOT appropriate for viewing a solar eclipse.
Welding helmets have special glass shields designed for bright sparks, which can also be used to watch an eclipse safely, but only if they have a high shade number.
Ancient civilizations like the Aztecs and Maya used items made of obsidian to view an eclipse, so if you happen to have a piece of jewelry made of obsidian, if it’s thin enough, you can point it towards the eclipse to safely view it.
The only time it’s safe to look at an eclipse without a safety glass is a couple of seconds or minutes during totality when the moon completely covers the sun. This is when the sun’s corona can be viewed.
The next total solar eclipse will not happen for 20 years, so many people are excited about this one. If your route happens to cross a totality area, it might be worthwhile to pull over; there will probably be traffic anyway.
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