daytime running lights; a popular topic. The advantages and disadvantages of daytime running lights (DRL) have been discussed many times. Do a Google search and you’ll see over 300,000 links. In Canada, they have been mandatory since 1989. Many European countries have had legislation in place since 1977. To this day, the US of A does not have laws in place making DRLs mandatory, although all American automakers use the module.
IMHO the DRLs were installed to make the motorist more visible during the day. Any outside you must have had
the experience once when you try to pass someone who is starting to leave and at the same time you notice a car entering
distance. The car had no lights. If he had, he wouldn’t even have tried to pass. One point for DRL.
The truth is that it is not about seeing, but about to be seen! How many times have you driven in bad weather conditions?
thinking about heavy rain, snow, fog, etc., and suddenly there is a vehicle that appears out of nowhere. scare the living
daylight out of you. If this person had had the lights on, you wouldn’t have had this ‘near heart attack’,
Correct? Two points for DRL.
Now on the other side of the argument the problem with DRL’s is that people forget to turn on the light switch when
dark or when the weather conditions worsen and therefore they drive without taillights. this is more a
vial education problem then a DRL problem. DRL’s or no DRL’s, people don’t turn their headlights on when needed, or
parking lights come on. They figure that as long as they can see, there’s no need to turn on the lights.WRONG. me
quote myself: “It’s not about seeing, it’s about being seen!”
Some people say that the glare from the headlights will make them turn the other way. I find this hard to believe as 90% of
drivers look straight ahead while driving and do not perform the “left-center-right-center-” look. In my years of driving, I have never been bothered by a DLR during daytime driving. High beams yes.
It’s true that DRLs make cars that don’t have them less visible when driving behind one another. DRL opponents
they are using this as one of the negative factors and want to see it banned. So wouldn’t it make more sense to have ALL cars
equipped with DRL? Of course, there are still some people who will turn them off.
As you can see, there are many arguments for both sides. There is even an Association against DRLs. On their website they
mention something about “ambient lighting” and why it doesn’t make sense for the American continent to have DRL’s. I fail
to see what the amount of ambient lighting (daylight in a day) has to do with the problem.
In closing I would like to ask this question: Why do 99% of police cars not have their lights on in bad weather?
For my part, I have DRL and the “auto on in the dark function” I turn on my headlights every time I get in my car
because I want to be seen
