Protecting Drivers From The Dark
Published On: November 28, 2006
The end of daylight-saving time is just around the corner, making night-time driving more dangerous. In fact, more than 2,300 people die on U.S. highways each year because of insufficient lighting, or “over driving” headlights, according to researchers at the University of Michigan. Over driving headlights occurs when your headlights don’t provide enough seeing distance down the road for the speed which you are driving at. Most experts believe the maximum safe speed with average low beams under most conditions is only about 45 miles per hour.
Fortunately, new lighting technologies are enhancing vehicle and pedestrian safety at night. Xenon lighting (or High Intensity Discharge) is one example. It provides up to twice as much light on the road, as well as on the sides of the road enabling the driver to see upcoming pedestrians. According to a recent survey by Harris Interactive Inc., Xenon headlamps ranked second in the top 10 advanced automotive technologies consumers would like to purchase for their next vehicle.
This lighting comes standard on some cars and uses approximately 25 percent less power than traditional halogen headlights. For more information, viewers can go to: www.mvlc.info.
Produced for the Motor Vehicle Lighting Council
