Are daytime running lights dangerous?
I have just read the letter on your website complaining about the dangerous blinding LEDs and Xenons. The writer is certainly not the only one. I am a pensioner and I believe there are about 12 million of us, and I have just had my eyes tested. It worries me when people say they are not affected by the lights. Even my optician says it can take a second or two for eyes to normalise after looking at bright lights. Several of my friends are grumbling about them, one even has migraines from them. I for one do not look at them as they reduce visibility, my rear view mirror is also of no use when there is bright lights in it, as it distract my eyes from the road. I have even had to do an emergency stop on two occasions because of those Xenon lights totally blinding me coming over the brow of a hill.
In my humble opinion DLRs in any form including headlights are the most dangerous thing on the road and should warrant six penalty points. I have read reams of informed studies, most are totally out of date, as referring to the Scandinavian countries using them in the seventies bears no relation to today. The conclusions are that at best virtually no improvement to the accident rate to, an increase in accidents. There is also a consensus of opinion by the Ophthalmic professionals that bright lights can cause eye damage. So why is Europe pushing for it?
In my humble opinion DLRs in any form including headlights are the most dangerous thing on the road and should warrant six penalty points. I have read reams of informed studies, most are totally out of date, as referring to the Scandinavian countries using them in the seventies bears no relation to today. The conclusions are that at best virtually no improvement to the accident rate to, an increase in accidents. There is also a consensus of opinion by the Ophthalmic professionals that bright lights can cause eye damage. So why is Europe pushing for it?
Asked on 2 November 2013 by JO, via email
Answered by
Honest John
Like you, in the days of ridiculous Volvo HID Xenon Daytime Running headlights, I too was against them. But since then we've seen some sense. True they have become a sort of fashion accessory on some cars where LEDs are embedded in the headlight units (and this makes them very expensive to replace). But on other cars, where they are separate lower output lights altogether (FIAT 500, Skoda Roomster), or where they are below the bumpers (Renaults, Porches, Mercedes, Citroens), I'm fully in favour. On a country road or in the suburbs and on motorways too they give notice of the presence of another vehicle where it might not otherwise have been spotted. And they are legislated throughout Europe, so all the objections were overruled some time ago. Just one word of warning to readers. When you start your car on a dark winter morning and are reassured by the DRLs coming on at the front, remember that your rear lights remain unlit until you (or the dusk sensor) switches them on.
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Many thanks in advance.
John...
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