A new study revealed some shocking information about car headlights. The Miami Herald reported that a recent study found that only one out of the 31 mid sized car models tested received a headlight rating of ‘good.’ This means that most mid sized car models have sub-par headlights. Out of those 29, one third came in at ‘acceptable,’ one third ‘marginal,’ and one third ‘poor.’ The difference between good and poor was very substantial, affecting not only how far drivers could see into the night, but how well they could see, as well.
The only vehicle which received a "good" rating was the Toyota Prius V, which comes with LED headlights. The headlights on this vehicle were so spectacular that they were able to see a pedestrian, bicyclist, or other obstacle, over 380 feet ahead of them on the road. This would leave the driver enough time to completely stop if they were traveling 75 miles per hour. The worst rated vehicle was the BMW 3 Series with halogen headlights. This car could see obstacles only 128 feet ahead, only giving drivers traveling 35 miles per hour enough time to stop completely.
These headlight statistics are important because about half of the deaths that occurred last year, in car-related crashes, happened at night. That is over 16,000 deaths in night or dusk crashes. Drivers with poor headlights sometimes cannot stop in time to avoid collisions due to fast travel speeds, but if vehicles had higher quality standard headlights, these crashes may have been avoidable.
It is always important to pay more attention when driving at night, especially if there are other variables such such as rain, snow, or fog which make driving harder. If drivers are able to afford it and their cars are able to be refitted, upgrading headlamps is a good solution for fixing sight issues on older or basic model vehicles. Also, it is important for drivers to remember that high-beams are always an option if conditions are very dark and there are not many other vehicles around.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident, call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our attorneys are highly experienced in handling all types of motor vehicle accidents including night time car collisions. Call us today, at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation.