By late afternoon on Friday 24 July, many UK drivers are moving straight from work into weekend travel. The Met Office London and South East forecast updated at 16:00 says the evening will stay dry and bright, with plenty of evening sunshine before clearer skies develop later. That sounds easy enough, but bright summer evenings still bring one practical issue: low sun directly in the driver's line of sight on the trip home.
When the sun drops lower, visibility can still be rated very good on paper while the drive feels more tiring because the light lands across the windscreen, mirrors or junction approach. The Met Office's Guildford forecast updated at 15:01 shows visibility staying very good to excellent through the evening. So the issue is less about fog or rain and more about bright light, reflections and a tired driver at the end of the day.
Take bright evening sun seriously, even on a dry journey
The Highway Code is straightforward here. Rule 237 says that if you are dazzled by bright sunlight, you should slow down and, if necessary, stop. A clean windscreen, working washers and a few extra seconds of patience at roundabouts or traffic lights are more useful than trying to push through glare.
If the windscreen has built up a film during the week, or the outside still carries dust and spray marks, the late sun can make those flaws feel much worse. GOV.UK's roadworthiness guidance also makes the driver responsible for ensuring the vehicle is safe to drive, so it is worth checking the glass, mirrors and washer fluid before you head out.
- Clean the windscreen and mirrors before you move off.
- Top up washer fluid so streaks do not turn into a visibility problem.
- Keep sunglasses or a clean cloth easy to reach before the sun is directly ahead.
- If you are genuinely dazzled, slow down and stop safely rather than forcing the next few miles.
Check tonight's closures before you assume the weekend starts smoothly
The second Friday-evening risk is overnight and weekend closures beginning tonight. National Highways' daily closures report was updated at 15:30 on 24 July and reminds drivers that planned closures generally run from 8pm to 6am, with information updated twice daily on working weekdays. The road you expect to use after work may become the road you cannot use an hour later.
One same-day example is the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet scheme, where National Highways says the A1 northbound between Tempsford and Wyboston and the A421 eastbound between Renhold and Black Cat will close from 9pm on Friday 24 July until 5am on Monday 27 July. Even if that is nowhere near your route, it shows how quickly a normal drive home can become the first diversion of the weekend.
Pack the car so safety tools stay usable
Friday evening is also when cars become cluttered. Work bags stay in. Shopping gets added. Sports gear or overnight luggage follows. That is exactly when a safety tool stops being useful if it disappears under everything else. A car escape tool should stay within reach of the cabin, not at the bottom of the boot. A breakdown kit should also stay accessible enough that you can get to it without unloading the whole car on the roadside.
This is where a two-pack can make more sense than a single loose tool. One can stay close to the front seats, while the second can be positioned for rear passengers or kept ready in another car at home. The point is simply to place practical tools where they remain usable when the vehicle is fuller than normal.
Recommended JUFO tools for the Friday drive home
If the car is fuller than usual for the weekend, keep practical safety tools close at hand instead of buried under bags.
JUFO 2 Pack Car Escape Tool
Best for keeping one tool near the front seats and another ready for rear passengers or a second car.
GBP 16.99
JUFO 3-in-1 Roadside Breakdown Kit
A compact kit for drivers who want a warning triangle and breakdown basics packed together.
GBP 17.95
Use the calm weather to reset before Sunday changes
The Met Office regional outlook says Sunday may turn cooler with sunny spells and showers, some of them heavy at times. That makes this evening a good time to reset the basics while conditions are still dry and settled for many drivers.
The practical message for 17:00 on Friday 24 July is simple: dry weather does not remove the need for care. Check for low sun glare, look at closures starting tonight, and keep your escape tool where you can actually reach it once the car is loaded for the weekend.
Sources: Met Office Guildford and London & South East forecast, updated 15:01 and 16:00 on 24 July 2026; Met Office Friday Afternoon Weather Forecast 24/07/2026, posted 11:04 on 24 July 2026; National Highways daily closures report, last updated 24.07.2026 15:30; National Highways A428 closures page; The Highway Code Rule 237; GOV.UK vehicle safety checks. Accessed on the afternoon of 24 July 2026.
