The International Window Film Association (IWFA) has issued the press release below regarding the upcoming holiday auto travel season.
WASHINGTON,
Nov. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Last year more than 42 million Americans traveled by car during the
Thanksgiving holiday, according to
AAA, and with
gasoline prices reaching a seven-year low this November, the highways should again be jammed with road-trippers. In addition to the usual pre-trip automobile safety checks (tires, brakes, oil), the International Window Film Association (
IWFA) advises drivers to take the precaution of adding professionally installed
window film to protect automobile occupants and interiors from the dangers of UV rays.
The Sun's Hidden Damage
While the sun may feel pleasant to motorists as it streams through the car's windows on a blustery winter day, many drivers are unaware of the sun's harmful UV rays, which can be damaging to the skin and eyes, especially with prolonged exposure over time. UV light passes right through unprotected side and rear windows, potentially harming automobile travelers as they battle stop-and-go traffic on the way to their destinations. Moreover, window film protects eyes and skin from the cumulative effects of UV rays, which the U.S. Surgeon General has called a 'known carcinogen.'
To prevent the damage caused by the sun, the IWFA recommends professionally installed window film for all automobiles. Window film filters 99 percent of the sun's UV rays, compared to untreated windows, which block only 25 percent of UV rays.
Comfort and Safety in the Car
Window film offers myriad benefits in addition to protection from damaging UV rays. Window film provides up to 55 percent rejection of solar heat, which means car air conditioners are more effective and efficient, and passengers won't feel those hot spots as the sun shines in the windows. Window film also offers improved visibility from sunlight, resulting in less eye fatigue for the driver. In addition, in the event of an accident or sudden impact, windows treated with film may offer added protection – the window film can help to hold glass shards together and keep them from flying into the vehicle.
"Automobile safety is of paramount importance, particularly during the holidays when so many people are on the road. The lives of passengers and the driver depend on it," said
Darrell Smith, Executive Director of the IWFA. "Professionally installed automotive window film or 'tint' offers an additional layer of safety for those driving to their holiday celebrations by helping to protect the cars' occupants and making the vehicle more comfortable."
For more information on how professionally installed window film protects drivers and auto passengers during the holidays, and year-round, and guidance on local statues governing automotive window film, download the IWFA's
Consumer Guide to Automotive Window Film, and visit
www.iwfa.com.
About the International Window Film Association
The International Window Film Association (IWFA) (
www.iwfa.com) is a unified industry body of window film dealers, distributors, and manufacturers that facilitates the growth of the window film industry though the use of education, research, advocacy and consumer awareness. The organization builds alliances with trade associations, utilities and government agencies to advance dealers' and distributors' businesses and provide value to their customers.
