Headlights on in sunshine - why?

[snotneck]

Why do so many people drive around in bright sunshine, wearing sunglasses, even, with their headlights on?.

[jno]

I think Volvos are made that way; don't know about other cars.

[saxy_jag]

Some cars have headlights on by default. Quite a few Volvos do, I believe.

Motorcyclists are encouraged to keep headlights on all the time too, as so many car drivers seem to have great difficulty seeing them.

[bookbinder]

I've had one or two Volvos, and none of them had headlights that were on by default. One of the handbooks told me how to get the headlights to stay on (by default), but I never bothered with that.
I think that keeping headlights on during the day might have been picked up by UK drivers who have driven on the continent. It's fairly common in the Netherlands and in Germany to have headlights on during the day, but I don't think that it's compulsory (not in the Netherlands, anyway). My guess is that drivers just want to ensure that other road users can see them, or maybe it's something that's developed from the nanny society that we seem to have nowadays.

[yobanfa]

my volvo had headlights on all the time, my audi cars now have got the lights on now as they have got pretty lights

[Count-A-Strong]

because in low sun, like we have this time of year, a car coming 'out' of the sun is much more visible than one without. And sunglesses........you do the math!

[DTCwordfan]

my Volvo had lights on automatically unless you over-rode it on the lights dial.

The Merc has lights that come on in poor light automatically, again this can be over-ridden.

And yes, froma safety angle it is clearer to see the car, even in bright conditions. Acvtually I hjave a battle royal with my mother who has a grey/silver Honda an virtually refuses to use her lights, except when its dark..

[agardner09]

I don't mind the drivers with dipped headlights even in sunshine, what gets up my nose are the *** and bimbos with only half a brain who drive around with dazzling fog lights on even in good visibility especially at night. It's even illegal but do they care when nobody is there to stop them!

[heathfield]

They think it's a good idea in Norway, where all drivers are required to use a minimum of dipped headlights at all times. But I agree with CAS, and I'd urge all those driving with the sun behind them and low in the sky to use dipped headlights. Oncoming drivers, half blinded by the sun in their eyes, and peering though a salted-up windscreen, will see your lights long before they can make out your vehicle's silhouette. I sometimes wish there was some way of making this a legal requirement.

[gingejbee]

More cars now have these as standard - VW group, for instance, or they are a low-cost option.

[SlackAlice]

Many of the cars have them, listed as 'daytime running lights'. Legal requirement in some Scandinavian countries.

[patrickstar]

You noticed their headlights n there for you noticed the car. Job done. What difference does it make to your day? If it's safer, which studies prove that it is, then let them be. If u r to comain have a go at the idiots who in poor visibility have no lights on.

[The-HouseHusband]

Driving with lights on during day light hours is purely a safety issue, in the next few years all new cars produced will be required to have day running lights by law. Anyone who thinks people are wasting fuel is clearly not done any advanced driving courses as using the lights at any time uses about one litre of fuel in the lifetime of the car.

[KJN]

Here you go, whether we like it or not;-

"Daytime lights mandatory from 2012

UK falls in line with Europe
Small emissions rise expected
Road Safety Minister concedes he can't stop plan

Latest News


New cars will be fitted with automatic daytime headlights within four years, bringing the UK in line with regulations already in place throughout the European Union.

Historically, the Government has opposed the idea on the grounds that using lights in the daytime would increase fuel consumption and emissions.

However, the EU argues that have lights running at all times makes cars more visible, particularly in low sun and at dusk, thereby reducing the potential for accidents.

Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: “The UK has been successful in arguing against the introduction of mandatory use of dipped headlamps during daylight hours by drivers of existing vehicles.

“However, from early 2011 all new types of passenger cars and light vans will have to be fitted with dedicated daytime running lamps in accordance with the relevant European directive. By summer 2012, all new vehicles will have to be so fitted.”

The European Commission says that the lights increase fuel consumption by just 0.3% because they use separate bulbs that are less bright than headlights."

[stewey]

It has been the law in Canada since 1990 that any car manufactured in, or imported into, the country must have a daylight runing system. That is, once the car is started and placed into gear, the headlights come on (although not to the same intensity as they are at night).