Look on the bright side. Just try not to drive there

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Drivers have to take greater precautions against skin cancer because new research has shown that there may be a link between sitting in the left seat and exposure to harmful UV rays.

According to news reports, researchers at the St. Louis University medical school have found that more than half of skin cancers occur on the left side of the body.

And while the study doesn’t specifically mention the link between placement and level of hazard, it only makes sense that if you’re cruising down the road on a sunny day with your arm stuck out the window.

Also, closed windows supposedly don’t protect you either. According to the head of the U.S.-based Skin Cancer Foundation, "ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaches us in the form of shortwave UVB and long-wave UVA rays, but glass blocks only UVB effectively."

Some tips: Drive north only in the mornings and south after the sun’s over the yardarm. (we’re just kidding.)

More seriously: Try to keep body parts out of the sun.

You might also try covering your side windows with UVA-filtering window film. Although windshields are designed to filter out rays, side windows aren’t. (We found one source for this product. Check out www.llumar.com.)

Of course it only works if your windows are closed.
Keep sunscreen on hand and use it, re-applying every two hours or so.

And keep your hat on.

And to think that all this is why you didn’t become a lifeguard at the beach, right?