So I finally figured out how to turn on the daytime running lights on my 2012 Prius 5 and now that's got me thinking, what are they used for? If anybody knows what these lights are used for please let me know!
In Theory, they are supposed to help people see you during the day, while the sun is out.... If you can't see a vehicle during the day, without lights on, then you should NOT be driving...
Reminds me of the old days (many decades ago now) in the UK when it was common for people to drive after dark with only their "side lights" (US "parking lights") on and claimed that "if you can't see to drive with only your parking lights on, you shouldn't be driving." Black or other dark-colored car on a road surrounded and covered by light-blocking trees -- DRL make a big difference; similarly for white or other light-colored car in snowy weather.
The car in your avatar picture is a dark color. As an owner of a 2011 winter gray metallic Prius, there have been many times when other drivers have turned out in front of us like we weren't even there. After wiring LED foglights (wrapped in transparent yellow vinyl) to be on whenever the car is in Ready Mode, making our car very visible to other drivers, those occurrences have significantly gone away. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
If you can't see a vehicle during the day, without lights on, then you should NOT be driving... And you need to have your eyes checked.
Safety, so that other drivers can very quickly see you with even a very brief side glance. Required in many Northern countries (Canada and Nordic region) where the very common sun-less overcast weather causes the sky, the road, and numerous car colors to sort of blend together as one. Sort a grey version of a white-out. Not nearly as bad as a real white-out, but enough to increase traffic risk. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp Spoken like someone who doesn't understand overcast weather, where the sun doesn't come out all day, or even all week. Very common is some northern-ish regions, especially during the seasons when the sun never gets above a low angle.
We all know that everyone who shouldn't be driving, isn't driving. Right? Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
Spoken like someone who shouldn't be driving... It's never overcast in Florida.. I drove in germany, where it snowed for days.... [QUOTE="fuzzy1, post: 3249566, member: 48224" Spoken like someone who doesn't understand overcast weather, where the sun doesn't come out all day, or even all week. Very common is some northern-ish regions, especially during the seasons when the sun never gets above a low angle.[/QUOTE]
It's because statistically vehicles with headlights on in the daytime are a little bit easier to see and slightly less likely to be in an accident. There was a period of time several decades ago when auto makers kept the headlights on all the time. Some states may of even required it.
In addition to safety on cloudy days or certain lighting conditions, they provide some light and markers for drivers who forget to turn on their lights at night. This happens quite often these days with the use of always on instrument panel displays. Combine that with the majority of people who have no clue what each dashboard indicator means. Plus drls give you an insurance discount.
No single location adequately represents all the weather conditions and climate zones present in the U.S. That doesn't cover the issue at hand. Agree here. It appears that studies in just northern climate zones found more benefit than whole-continental-U.S. studies have found. I.e. the benefits are stronger in high than low latitudes. If true, that would be news to me. It wasn't / isn't true of any car or truck I've ever owned or driven, which now covers a model year span of 60 years. GM starting installing DRLs on U.S. cars about 1990, when Canada required them, after lobbying to legalize them in the U.S. so that they could simplify their North America product mix. I believe some other makers did the same, but none of the brands/models I have owned had DRLs until my current Prius, the Gen3 mid-cycle refresh of 2012. My 2010 Prius lacked them. My current Subaru, newer than my Prius, has DRLs, but its predecessor Subaru lacked them. How Daytime Running Lights Became Mandatory In Most Countries - headlights.com Also news to me, if true. Google isn't showing me any such requirement. It does show states that require headlights in certain foul weather, or when wipers are running, or other special conditions (narrow winding roads, mountain passes, construction zones.) But none seem to be indicated as required full time in daylight.
"There was a period of time several decades ago when auto makers kept the headlights on all the time" My 2012 v does exactly that. It has no drls but in Auto the headlights are on anytime the car is in Ready.
My 2010 Prius, pre-DRL, could do this too. Driver option, depending on light switch position. This is common with Auto-Off lights, which I've had in various cars for 25 years now. But the car does not force this mode, drivers can still turn the light switch to Off and drive around completely dark.
I am from Germany where it does snow and does get overcast and have traveled all over Europe in cars in the 60s with cb z beams and all that old technologies I was and I guess I am still a photographer and I can tell you lighting shading and all those situations can come into play very quickly and create things that you would not believe so to regular people that are not photographers and what have you things can even change a lot faster into the technically challenged and people who watch a lot of TV things can even get more interesting this is why we have so many opinions so much going on in our courts and just listen to people on The People's Court talking this gives you a good idea of what and how many people see and think or how they don't see and think is the case may be I know that no one has any trouble seeing the 2013 coming down the road with those bright LED drls that my wife leaves on all the time I turn them off I try to remember to put them back on for her I am trying not to be seen purposely my other half needs to be seen
A lot of cars these days have turn signals tightly integrated next to headlights. Sometimes nigh impossible to see if they’re signalling a turn, through the headlight glare, even spending a protracted time studying them, and maybe ignoring collateral risks… I emailed Transport Canada about this a few years back; their response was that everything is fine, no problems.
I have often found that confusing -- although I think it's a worse problem at night when the headlights are on full rather than in reduced-intensity mode (DRL) during the day.
You might get a discount on your insurance if you have all this extra safety equipment which DRLs are every car I buy was USAA they tell me if it has all that nonsense on it then I'll get an extra 10% or whatever off so there you go
