SAN DIEGO - Solar Gard, a manufacturer of architectural and automotive window films and a member of the International Window Film Association (IWFA), announced the availability of Solar Gard Ultragard UV, a new window film designed to meet the specific needs of the trucking industry.

Until recently, it was believed that window film could not be applied to the side windows of large truck cabs, leaving drivers exposed to damaging UV radiation. Recognizing the severity of the issue, the IWFA consulted with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) - resulting in a clarification of the safety rule to allow for the application of “clear” window films. Since the majority of large trucks in the U.S. do not have laminated side windows, drivers have remained unprotected against cancer causing UV-A rays until now.

Solar Gard Ultragard UV window film meets the FMCSA requirements, providing the trucking industry with an optimal solution to protect drivers. Recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation, Solar Gard Ultragard UV shields 99 percent of damaging UV-A and UV-B rays that cause sun damage and skin cancer.

Studies have shown that 53 percent of skin cancer cases in the U.S. occur on the left side of the body, or the driver’s side.¹ Exacerbating this frightening statistic, truck drivers spend up to 60 hours per week on the road, which puts them at a higher risk than the average driver for skin cancer or melanoma. With this clarification of safety regulations, truck drivers, fleet owners and managers can install a protective window film with over 70 percent net Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) on the side windows of trucks weighing over 26,001 pounds. For lighter vehicles, vans and cars, window film is already permitted as long as it adheres to local tint laws. Solar Gard Ultragard UV meets the tint law requirements in nearly all 50 states.

“For many years, Solar Gard has been driving awareness of the risk of harmful UV exposure through unprotected glass. It’s of significant relief and excitement to see the IWFA and FMCSA usher in such great change for the industry and for the health of truck drivers nationally,” said Kathryn Giblin, Director of Global Marketing and Technical Services, Solar Gard. “The current estimate is that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime², therefore, it is imperative drivers are protected. This is a monumental milestone in our industry for both fleet owners and drivers.”

Backed by over 30 years of experience in the window film industry, Solar Gard is a division of Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, a company renowned for its innovative solutions in the automotive and transportation industries. Ultragard UV window film offers many benefits to the trucking industry, including:

• Allows transmission of 89% of visible light

• Rejects 99% of damaging UV-A and UV-B rays

• Unaltered window clarity for maximum visibility

• Recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation

For more information on how Ultragard UV window film can protect you and your fleet drivers, please contact Rob Garlo at fleetsales@solargard.com, visit www.solargard.com/us/fleets or call (877) 273-4364.

¹According to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology by the St. Louis School of Medicine, 2010.

²American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts & Figures 2010