Turn On Your Headlights – All The Time
Turn On Your Headlights – All The Time
Posted on March 12, 2021
Can You See All Three Cars?
There are three cars in this transit bus’s rear view mirror, but can the driver see all three as they begin to change lanes?
For safety and basic common sense, your vehicle should be seen and turning on your headlights so that others can see you is just as important as how well you can see.
Make Sure Your Headlights Are ON
Anytime of the year you will be more visible and therefore safer on the roads if you have your headlights on. As the seasons change and it gets wet, foggy and darker in the mornings, the need to illuminate yourself becomes a serious safety concern.
It’s Not Just Safe – It’s The Law!
Heck, it’s not just the law, in BC the motor vehicle act is very specific on the type of headlight beam to be used! In fact, installing aftermarket LED/HID lamps that lack DOT approval could get you a ticket and tow if the officer feels it’s a safety risk to allow you to continue driving.
Daytime Running Lights
Back in 1990 Canadians decided to make it a requirement for all new vehicles to come equipped with daytime running lights (DRLs). While this was aimed at improving safety, it has lead to a lot of modern car owners assuming they always have headlights on; they aren’t.
Read this important Article on how serious your DRL lights are.
In fact, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has portrayed DRLs as having very little statistical impact on the rate of collisions the NHTSA studied in 2008. The only exception was with light vans/trucks which saw a reduction when the collisions involved two vehicles.
Different Models and Brands Have Different Lighting Options
People who rent vehicles are at risk of becoming accustomed to a brand, like BMW, that always turns your headlights on with the DRLs. It’s much better to just get in the habit of checking they are on when you get in the car vs. assuming your headlights are always on.
Also, as vehicles move to digital dash systems, like the used Hyundai Accent pictured above, there’s really no option to have them be dark, since they are usually LED displays.
So, while dash lights might get brighter once the headlights are switched on, it can be hard to notice your lights aren’t turned on due to the dash being well lit at all times.
Motorbikes & Cyclists Too!
Safety isn’t a one-way street and most seasoned motorcyclists will have ample lighting and reflectors because they want to keep on riding for a long time to come.
Cyclists need to light up just as badly as motorists, even if you aren’t already packing around the electronics to run lights, the added safety bonuses are the same or greater for cyclists in bad weather/dark fall mornings.
Headlights ON = SAFER
If you, or someone you know is relying on DRLs for lighting, please have a word with them and ask them to turn on their headlights.
We’re always trying to help make the local roads safer for our customers and our families. If you have any suggestions for our articles, please let us know!