There is now scientific proof that the plastic materials and parts, even leather, used in the manufacturing of vehicle interiors emit harmful toxic chemical fumes and particles. This is a public health and driving risk. Those chemical particles, besides being unhealthy to inhale, also cling to the inside of your windshield which strongly contribute to the problem of ‘Night Driving Glare‘.

We have all experienced night time glare. Whether driving through the rain at night, or simply being blinded from the headlights of oncoming traffic, the glare from our windshield can be a real problem. It can also endanger not only us, but others who might accidentally get in our way without our seeing them. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize how easy it is to make it go away.

“There’s no question that the glare from passing automobiles and other light sources poses a significant threat for many nighttime drivers,” says VSP (Vision Service Plan) network doctor Stephen Cohen, O.D. “Dealing effectively with glare at night is not just a matter of comfort. It’s a matter of personal safety, and there’s a lot of research available to show that highway glare can cause life-threatening accidents. For that reason, all of us should take the steps required to protect ourselves from this hazard.”
https://www.vsp.com/member/ html/road_glare.jsp

The California Department of Motor Vehicles says that “Night vision impaired by one or more vision conditions (cataracts for example) can result in the driver at night failing to react to hazards located directly in front of the vehicle, tailgating, and/or failing to steer when necessary because the driver is unable to see low contrast features of the roadway such as its edges and irregularities in the road surface.

Glare is the disruption of vision due to a veiling luminance (such as the light from the headlights of oncoming traffic at night) being superimposed on the visual image (such as the outline of the car ahead of you).

Glare resistance is the extent to which the driver can still see critical objects and events while facing a steady source of glare such as the setting sun or the light from the headlights on a steady stream of oncoming traffic at night.

Glare recovery is the rapidity with which the driver’s vision functioning returns to what it was before the glare was encountered.

Glare resistance/glare recovery impaired by one or more vision conditions can result in the driver being blinded by a glare source and consequently missing curves in the road, striking unobserved pedestrians, and/or crashing into the rear of slow-moving, stalled, or stopped vehicles.”

Source: California DMV:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/driversafety/vision_cond.htm

There are several things you can do, but first you have to know what causes glare and only then you be successful in finding a proper solution. Using normal glass cleaners is jut not going to cut it, as you’ll see in this report.

GENERAL MOTORS SAYS…

“Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean – inside and out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt (dust) on the glass. Even the inside of the glass can build up a film caused by dust. Tobacco smoke also makes inside glass surfaces very filmy and can be a vision hazard if it’s left there.

Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would, making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly. You might even want to keep a cloth and some glass cleaner in your vehicle if you need to clean your glass frequently.”
Source:
http://www.gm.com/company/gmability/safety/avoid_crash/adverse_conditions/
obscured.html

In this statement GM did not reveal the whole truth. Note their words: “Even the inside of the glass can build up a film caused by dust.”

There is far more to this statement than meets the eye.

If the simple solution to getting rid of night driving glare is to simply remove ‘dust’ from the inside of your windshield then glare would not be a problem at all. Just carry a dust cloth. But the truth is that glare is caused by far more than dust and the cause is far more dangerous to your health.

Reporting in the Los Angeles Times, November. 15, 2006, staff writer Ralph Vartabedian said that, “A wide range of environmental groups contend that new car interiors contain a mix of unhealthy substances that come from vinyl, flame retardants on seats, lubricants and hidden sealants that collectively make up the new car smell.”

That’s correct, the new car smell is in reality nothing more and nothing less than the odor of toxic chemicals! Shocking? Yes. Dangerous? Yes. But how dangerous are these toxic chemicals, really?

HealthyCar.org, the first-ever consumer guide to test the levels of toxic chemicals in your car’s interior cabin, reports that “These chemicals are inhaled or ingested by drivers and passengers through dust in the air, potentially causing allergic or other acute reactions, or even long-term health impacts such as birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity and cancer.”
Source:
http://www.healthycar.org/chemicals.introduction.php

Plus Product Lines: Now, we are not in the business of “scaring” people into using our product. Rather, as we become more and more knowledgeable about modern day manufacturing practices, as well as the materials that are used in those manufacturing processes, we feel it is of highest importance that the public be made aware of these facts.

For those scientific types, here is a partial list of those chemicals discussed in detail at HealthyCar.

Deca-brominated diphenyl ether – a flame retardant. Once released from products, there is strong evidence that these chemicals remain in the environment for long periods and build up in people’s bodies, in breast milk, in fish and other animals. Many companies are voluntarily eliminating this decay. But most cars and all cars pre-2006 contain it.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – Flexible PVC also contains plasticizers called phthalates, which off-gas during vehicle use and are deposited on dust particles and windshields, where they cause fogging. One of the most common phthalate used, DEHP (di 2-ethyl-hexyl phthalate), has been linked to a number of serious health problems. The EPA classifies it as a probable human carcinogen, and there is also evidence that it causes male and female genital and urinary malformations, pre term deliveries, and testicular atrophy. For an in depth discussion of PVC read the article, The Dangers of PVC, by Arcadia Maximo, Environment Editor for BellaOnline
Source:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art47053.asp

Tetrabromobisphenol A – Lab tests have suggested that TBBPA may disrupt thyroid function. Studies also suggest that it may adversely affect hormone levels and the immune system.

Hexabromocyclododecane – Used in extruded polystyrene for thermal insulation foams which is applied in the back coating of upholstery. Studies suggest that HBCD affects thyroid hormone levels, causes learning and memory defects in neonatal laboratory animals, and has been detected in breast milk.

Lead – Sometimes used as an additive in automotive plastics such as PVC and is commonly used in wheel weights and solder. The link between lead exposure and a number of severe health effects is well established.
CHEMICAL OUTGASSING - NOT JUST A NEW CAR PROBLEM

The worse period of unhealthy out gassing is when vehicles are new; when the chemically based new car smell still permeates the air. Many people find the new car smell intoxicating. This is a sad way to express what is really taking place. You are in fact being in-tox-ified (much like intoxicated with a drug or alcohol). Not healthy!

As the new car smell dissipates the out gassing slows but still exists. In fact, once the heat of summer arrives the interaction of UV-rays on glass and interior PVC parts can raise the cabin temperature to over 110 degrees. This releases additional toxic chemicals. Worse, the longer those chemicals sit on the glass the longer you breathe them in when they are again released by extreme summer heat. Every time the glass is heated (from the Sun or your heater) those chemicals are reconstituted and sent back into the air as fumes, which you and your passengers inhale. This situation can be even worse in trucks, buses and RV’s which have many more windows and larger glass surfaces.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE TOXIC CHEMICALS IN YOUR VEHICLE?

Again, L. A. Times writer Ralph Vartabedian: “As PVC ages, the plasticizers form gases which escape from the plastic. Out gassing causes an oily fog on interior car windows that are a headache to clean up and ultimately restrict visibility. Although all PVC undergoes some out gassing of plasticizers, it is more pronounced in a car because on hot sunny days, a PVC dashboard can reach 200 degrees. Ultraviolet rays also accelerate PVC aging and out gassing”

GM said that dust caused road glare. Ralph Vartabedian states that toxic chemicals emissions from car parts cause an oily film to cling to your windshield that restricts visibility. The cause of glare is far more than dust build up. That oily film, plus the buildup of dust as it bonds to the haze, together create a real danger to the driver.

WHAT CAR COMPANIES ADMIT INTERNALLY BUT HIDE FROM YOU

No one really knows how long ago vehicle manufacturers have known about the public health risks of being exposed to all the toxic chemicals they use in the manufacturing process. Most like to claim ignorance, as they only put the parts together to create your dream car. Sadly, only because consumer groups have protested loud enough about the relationship between serious health issues and toxic chemicals, did the car companies finally sit up and take notice. As a result, progress is being made to reduce toxic chemicals in vehicles, homes and offices.

A LITTLE HISTORY

We have in our possession two car dealer related pieces of evidence that strongly indicate that the car companies have known about the problem for many, many years. Yet it took consumer group pressure to get them to admit to the clear danger of health problems. Why did they hide this information from the public?

WHAT CHEVROLET KNOWS

On May 10, 1972 Chevrolet issued a Dealer Service Information Bulletin to Service Mangers informing them that “An oily film or haze may form on the inside surface of the windshield and other body glass surfaces… under certain conditions.

This film is due to the migration of certain ingredients used in manufacturing plastic interior components. These solvents or politicizing agents are secreted from plastic components when subjected to high ambient temperatures and subsequently condense on the relatively cooler surfaces of the vehicle such as the windshield and body glass. The condition will diminish as these ingredients are bled from the materials.

This film can best be removed by wiping the glass with a household glass cleaner containing ammonia….vinegar may be substituted, but may leave an odor.

Due to the recurring nature of this film, periodic cleaning is required and is considered a normal maintenance function.”

Note that Chevrolet implies that this (toxic) film was something you should expect from your new car and that it is your problem to try and clean it off. That would be fine if they had warned you ahead of time.

Note also, that they did not offer to remove the haze as part of the new car warranty. Why not? Is it the owners fault? One thing for sure, no car company currently offers a product that can get rid of that oily film!

WHAT FORD KNOWS

In January of 1983, Automotive News broke the story that first appeared in The Journal of Safety Litigation News from the Center for Auto Safety that Ford had settled a case, out of court, with Thomas David, of Zion , IL, whose windshield was covered by a film apparently coming from the elasticized component of the vinyl upholstery in a 1981 Mercury Capri. Settlement involved repurchase of the car, plus attorneys fees and cost of tests made by an independent laboratory.

The suit was over this: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has been accused of being a carcinogen and its fumes are said to cause deposits on inside windows thick enough to be scraped off with a razor blade.

The case was brought against Ford Motor Co. under the Manson Act charging breach of the written warranty, implied warranty or service contract.

Lab test results and photographs showed a matching of the windshield film with the Plasticine component of the upholstery.

The Center for Auto Safety is a Product Liability Research Service.

END OF ARTICLES

In a first-of-its-kind report, Toxic at Any Speed, the Ecology Center (www.EcoCenter.og) found significantly higher levels of PBDEs (flame retardants) in vehicle dust and windshield wipe samples than those found in homes and offices in previous studies.

Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in their car every day, this is a significant source of unhealthy indoor air pollution. Getting those chemicals off the glass and out of the car as soon as possible, and as often as needed, is critical. It is a serious health benefit.

Thanks to research and investigation by groups like the Ecology Center, the truth is out. Consumers are fighting back.

For years no car company would admit that those chemicals were a health hazard. But in the last few years they are working toward reducing chemical exposure in vehicles.

Now that it is clearly established that dangerous PVC’s, and other chemicals, are loose in your vehicle, clinging to the glass, what are the side effects?
There are two:
1. They pose potential serious health risks to you and your passengers, due to their carcinogenic makeup.
2. They are a major cause of road/windshield glare and restricted road view.

WHAT CAUSES GLARE?

Most people assume that nighttime, or low light glare is caused by the rays of oncoming headlights or streetlights. Not true. Scientifically stated, totally clean glass does not refract light and cannot cause glare! Rather, clean glass allows light particles and rays to pass through the glass, unhindered and without refraction. Only glass that is dirty or coated by chemical deposits can cause glare.

That hazy, chemically based, film blocks light from headlights, street lights, and sign boards from passing through your windshield unobstructed. When light hits an obstruction, in this case the sticky, grayish, film on the windshield interior, it glances off and breaks up into thousands of refracted light rays. We call this phenomena glare. It is the #1 nemesis of anyone who drives at night or in the rain.

Glare can hurt your eyes, affect your focus and cause eye fatigue. Recall that LA Times writer Vartabedian reported that the “out gassed oily film ultimately restricts visibility”.

The chemicals clinging to the inside of your windshield are a major cause of that glare. It cannot be emphasized enough that glare does not occur on a super clean windshield, as the light can and will easily pass through and not be refracted. Removing the cause of glare should be everyone’s goal if they want to see and drive safely at night or in low light conditions, such as in the rain etc.

The good news is that a natural-based, bio-degradable product called Your View Plus™ has been battling with this haze for over 20 years. Because of it’s specially formulated ingredients, it can cut through those chemicals and safely remove all of them from your vehicle’s interior glass. And it can do so without leaving behind any residue or strange smell or damaging your dashboard or interior in the process.

Here is how to find out whether you have those chemicals we have been talking about, clinging to your interior windshield glass a mirror or table top that was slightly covered in dust (anyone who has cleaned house can relate). The result is different, however, with out gassed chemicals. When you run your finger across the window and it smears, that is a sure sign that chemicals are on your glass.

Although you should worry about those chemicals and the health threat they could pose, using the all natural compounds in Your View Plus you can completely lift them off the glass. Once those toxic chemicals are removed, your vehicle will be much safer and the view out your windows will be much clearer. The extreme difference between Your View Plus and other product is that…

1) Your View Plus™ ‘deep cleans’ the glass, meaning the pores of the glass are actually scrubbed out!

2) After applying Your View Plus™ the glass is actually sealed against future bonding of that hazy film and dust to the glass surface (and the next point is REALLY important)

3) Because the glass is sealed, all future cleaning is done with ONLY clear water and a clean, lint free drying towel!

NO more chemicals or cleaning agents which leave behind their own residues and actually gray the glass when used often enough!

Besides the negative health factor there is another major reason for removing those chemicals quickly.

It is possible for every health conscious consumer to significantly reduce the amount of toxic chemicals that have been released inside their vehicle and fight off night driving glare at the same time. Clean Your Windows! But we mean REALLY clean.

Your View Plus™ is the only product that makes it possible to not only safely remove the toxins but to quickly remove them as they buildup again. Your View Plus™ is the only glass cleaner that will remove the sticky, grayish, chemically based film from glass without having to use even stronger chemicals to do so! Your View Plus™ is non toxic and biodegradable. It is also a liquid rub on and therefore nothing is sprayed in the air that you will have to breathe.

No matter which brand name product or self mixed formula you try (even Chevrolet’s suggestion to use ammonia or vinegar), none can completely remove the haze. All other products do is thin out the chemicals and smear them around. Try it yourself! Only phosphoric acid can totally cut through the bonded chemicals but who would be foolish enough to spray a dangerous acid in their car and risk ruining both the glass and anything else is touches? Your View Plus™ gets the job done. Is safe, effective and environmentally friendly.

HOW DOES Your View Plus WORK?

Your View Plus™ contains effective compounds (organic) that are strong enough to cut through the sticky film, absorb the chemicals, (even over-spray from Amour All) lift them off, keep them from blowing all over you and your passengers, and deep clean the glass all at the same time! Plus, it leaves behind a completely transparent protective barrier that prevents out gassed chemicals from clinging to the glass for 6 to 12 months.

And the ‘Plus’ in Your View Plus™ means this: Follow up maintenance is done with just plain water. You heard correctly!

All you need do to keep the windshield clean and clear is wipe it off with a clean moist cloth and buff it dry with a lint free cotton cloth. Your View Plus™ makes glass cleaner than new.

Other products all do a fairly good job, but every time the haze reappears you have to reuse the product over and over again (more cost and cleaner residue is also left behind every time). Your View Plus™ not only deep-cleans, but it also fills the pores with a protective shield that prevents chemicals from bonding to the glass.

No other product creates this kind of protection. Some even give off toxic, or strong smelling fumes (I personally like the smell of vinegar for my salad, not my car interior).

PLEASE NOTE: for those who own cars with tinted windows – Your View Plus™ is so gentle that it does not damage after-market tinted windows! And there is no build up with repeated application, as Your View Plus™ only fills the pores of the glass surface and does not coat the surface with ANY residue.