Lumileds Discusses Headlight Age And Driver Safety

Lumileds Discusses Headlight Age And Driver Safety


With National Car Care Month just around the corner in April, Lumileds is bringing attention to one aspect of a consumer’s cars that many use daily: headlights. Routine vehicle maintenance protects drivers and their passengers and can keep cars and trucks running strong for years. Though drivers typically recognize the need to have their oil changed and their tires rotated, few may realize the importance of tending to their headlights as well.

How safe are you with old headlights?

It’s a well-known fact that headlight bulbs wear out with age and use just like tires, shocks and brakes. As the bulbs get older, they start to dim, putting less light on the road. This can create serious safety issues at night for all drivers. In spite of the fact that there is five times more traffic during the daytime, statistics show that approximately 65 percent of accidents occur at night or in poor lighting conditions.

The primary reason is usually attributed to poor driver vision caused by decreased visual acuity. Visual acuity is the amount of light provided by the environment, and at night, it can be reduced by up to 70 percent. Because the human eye is not adapted for nocturnal vision, colors tend to disappear, contrast fades away and drivers are often blinded by the oncoming light from other vehicles. In essence, nighttime drivers can experience the feeling of short sightedness and also lose some depth perception.

Why replace light bulbs when they get old?

According to Ann-Marie Hines, senior marketing manager at Lumileds, a global lighting solutions company and the exclusive supplier of Philips automotive lighting products, the answer is simple. Hines notes, “The filament in a headlight bulb ages with use, time and exposure to the elements. As a result, it becomes fragile and starts to deteriorate, and this causes the light output to diminish. At the end of a typical service life, perhaps 2-3 years, headlight bulbs will likely be projecting a much shorter and less powerful beam light, than when they were new. From a driver’s point of view this is a critical safety concern.”

Older drivers need more light

This problem becomes even more critical with older drivers. The amount of light that the human eye needs to see properly increases exponentially with age. That means as drivers get older they need more light on the road. This is because the lens of human eye tends to become more opaque with age and reduces the amount of light the eye can receive. At age 40, the average driver may already need twice as much light as a 20-year-old. At age 65, that need is dramatically higher. So as the population of licensed drivers 65 years and older increases, the safety issue increases with it. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 36.8 million licensed drivers aged 65 and older on the road in 2013. By 2030, the NHTSA estimates there will be more than 57 million drivers on the road in this age group.

Put more light on the road

The easy solution to this dilemma is to just put more light on the road. The best way to do this is to replace your old headlight bulbs with new bulbs and make sure your headlight lenses are clear of any clouding and hazing. Lumileds engineers recommend replacing headlight bulbs after two to three years as a good maintenance practice. They also suggest replacing both headlight bulbs at the same time to ensure a properly lit road ahead and the full benefit of the vehicle’s headlights as originally intended by the carmaker.

Consumers can replace old bulbs with new standard OE quality replacements and restore a vehicle’s lighting performance to original condition or they can upgrade to newer more advanced technology and get even better light output from their headlights.

Better lighting will improve vision and visibility at night, and in turn increase safety and confidence as a driver. Whenever possible, consumers should consider upgrade headlight bulbs over standard bulbs because they are designed to do a better job of lighting up the road ahead. This not only helps to compensate for having old headlights and older drivers, but also can help improve headlight performance in general.

According to a recent study from AAA, the halogen headlights found in more than 80 percent of vehicles on the road today failed to safely illuminate unlit roadways, even when vehicles are moving at speeds as low as 40 miles per hour. A new set of upgrade halogen bulbs might just make a difference in seeing better and being seen.

You May Also Like

UniClutch Launches Clutch System in the United States

From Australian manufacturer Clutch Industries, UniClutch is a clutch system that delivers uncompromised performance.

UniClutch and UniClutch Sport will be the first iterations of this system to launch in the U.S. UniClutch's dual core technology significantly boosts torque capacity without compromising drivability. Its one-of-a-kind, patented and adaptable design fits a multitude of vehicles, simplifies inventory management, expedites clutch replacement time, and lessens common installation problems. Compared to UniClutch, UniClutch Sport offers a further 15% more torque capacity and a sport-tuned pedal feel for more serious enthusiasts. These features create a clutch system with mass appeal for consumers and aftermarket businesses alike, as the industry grapples with a continuously challenging supply chain and the need to find labor efficiencies.

Automotive Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2024 Inductees

Six honorees whose efforts helped shape the automotive and mobility marketplace will be recognized.

Castrol Turns 125, Debuts New Market Strategy

As part of the new strategy, Castrol will explore opportunities in battery thermal management, digital and service solutions and data center immersion cooling.

Advance Auto Parts Announces ‘National Battery Day’ Promo

DieHard battery giveaways and complimentary battery testing will be part of nationwide festivities held on Feb. 18.

FCS Introduces 18 New Numbers in February

The new release includes 4 shock absorbers and 14 suspension struts.

Other Posts

Tenneco Introduces Add-On Valve Technology 

The company says the RideRefine SDD valve brings new levels of versatility, tunability and comfort to passive damper performance.

AP Emissions Releases New Part Numbers for February

AP Emissions Technologies has released 12 new SKUs that cover six million VIO in the month of February.

Lumileds Debuts New Philips Automotive Lighting Website

The site features an entirely new design that brings together the full breadth of the Philips portfolio of automotive lighting and accessories in North America.

Standard Motor Products Expands Emission Control Program

SMP’s program features more than 3,500 parts, including EVAP, EGR and positive crankcase ventilation products.