Trucker's Tan and Sun Damage: Yes, UV Gets Through Your Truck Windows

Trucker's tan is no joke. If you've ever driven with short sleeves, you've probably noticed your left forearm turning a few shades darker than your right. We work with a roof over our heads, but we still soak up countless hours of sun through the windshield and side window. The sun's UV rays keep doing their work whether we feel the heat or not.

The problem goes beyond looking young. Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers, and melanoma is one of the deadliest, so truckers need to take it seriously as a matter of health.

What Is a Trucker's Tan?

A trucker's tan (also called a driver's tan) is the uneven tan you get on the side of your body facing the driver's window. In the U.S. and Canada, that's your left arm, the left side of your face and neck, and the back of your left hand. Drivers in the UK and Australia get the same thing on the right side.

It happens slowly. You won't feel a burn or notice much change day to day, but after a few weeks of long hauls in short sleeves, the difference between your left and right arm is hard to miss. That line is a visible record of UV exposure, and it's the first sign your skin is taking damage on the job.

Can You Tan Through a Car Window or Windshield?

Yes. You can tan through a car window, and your side window is the main culprit. Sunlight reaches the ground as two kinds of UV that matter for your skin:

• UVB causes sunburn. Almost all automotive glass blocks most of it, which is why drivers rarely get a classic red burn through a closed window.

• UVA causes tanning, wrinkles, sagging skin, and contributes to skin cancer. It passes through glass much more easily.

Where it gets through depends on the glass. Windshields are made of laminated glass, which blocks most UVA. Side windows are usually tempered glass, which lets a lot more UVA in, and that's where your driver's-side exposure comes from. A 2016 study of cars on the road found that windshields blocked around 96% of UVA on average, while side windows blocked closer to 71%, and some blocked far less.

So the short answer: you probably won't get sunburned through glass, but you will tan through it, and the damage adds up. Rolling the window down removes the barrier entirely, and then UVB comes in too.

Truck Driver Sun Damage: Why It Hits One Side of Your Face and Arm

Years of UVA through the side window don't just leave a tan. They break down the collagen and elastic fibers that keep skin firm, which is why truck driver sun damage tends to show up on one side of the face first.

The most famous example made headlines in 2012. A 69-year-old man who drove a delivery truck for 28 years was featured in the New England Journal of Medicine. The left side of his face, the side facing his window, was deeply wrinkled, thickened, and sagging, while the right side looked normal for his age. Doctors called it unilateral dermatoheliosis: sun damage on one side only. That half-face photo is still one of the clearest pictures of what a career behind the wheel can do.

His case isn't a fluke. Researchers have found that skin cancers, including melanoma, show up more often on the left side of the body in the U.S., and they point to time spent driving as a likely reason. Your left arm, left cheek, temple, ear, and neck take the most exposure, so they carry the most risk.

Signs of Sun Damage to Watch For

Check your driver's side regularly, especially your face, ear, neck, forearm, and the back of your hand. See a doctor or dermatologist if you notice:

• Rough, scaly patches that don't go away
• A sore that bleeds, scabs, and doesn't heal within a few weeks
• A new mole, or one that's changing in size, shape, or color
• A spot with uneven borders, more than one color, or that's larger than a pencil eraser
• Deeper wrinkles, dark spots, or looser skin on one side of your face than the other

Caught early, most skin cancers are very treatable. A yearly skin check is worth scheduling around your home time.

Sun Protection Tips for Truck Drivers

Truckers, do yourself a favor and protect your skin:

• Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher. "Broad-spectrum" is the important part, because it means UVA protection, and UVA is what gets through your window. Apply it to your face, ears, neck, and left arm before your shift, and reapply about every two hours. A sunscreen stick in the cup holder makes this easy to do at a stop. Don't skip it on cloudy days: low morning and evening sun coming straight through the side window causes truckers the biggest problem.
• Cover up. Long sleeves work when it's cool. When it's hot, a lightweight UPF 50 sleeve on your left arm does the same job.
• Wear driving gloves. The back of your left hand gets as much sun as your arm.
• Add clear UV film to your side windows. Clear UV-blocking film can stop nearly all UVA without darkening the glass. Federal rules require at least 70% light transmission on the windshield and the windows to your immediate left and right, so choose a clear film that meets that and check your state's rules too.
• Wear sunglasses. UV damages your eyes as well as your skin. Look for 100% UV protection; gray or brown lenses work best for driving.