Daytime running lights

Same law here in New Jersey - wipers on, headlights on.

 

I was reading the above comments by all of you and I found that your site and articles are quite interesting and useful for us. Thanks for sharing.

Stella

 

A senior safety engineer at one of the formerly-big-3 told me that the original safety studies for day-time running lights were run in two groups: a group of NYC taxicabs & a group of military vehicles. For each group, some were assigned to leave the lights off during the day, and the rest to put the lights on.

The extent of the results surprised the researchers, as the statistics demonstrated a very strong and clear advantage when day-time lights were on -- a statistically significant lower accident rate. I don't know whether that advantage continues if everyone (as in Canada) has them on.

In any event, US rules require motorcycles built after some date or other to have the headlights come on automatically. After riding for XX years, I think they were of some value.

For now, I am following the advice above -- turn the headlights on and leave them on as you turn of and exit the vehicle, in which case they go off, and will be back on when you next start up.

 

Thanks...
This is helpful

 

There was a thread a couple of years back about DRLs.
I thought the problem was that in states that have tried it overall accident rates have gone up - and the increased accidents involve cyclists and pedestrians i.e. those without DRLs become relatively less visible. ( does that include parked cars?)

We have a few other crazy ideas being implemented in the uk
1) fog/driving light that comes on the side that youre steering towards. It might sound useful to have that extra patch of light, but it can be taken by a driver waiting in a side road as a flash of lights to indicate it's ok pull out

2) indicators that flash minimum 3 times. If you accidentally hit the indicator switch its no good it will definitely flash 3 times, so you have to think of some other gesture to other motorists to show youve made a mistake

3) headlights that come on as soon as they think it's a dull day and go off a few seconds later when its not quite so dull. What does a flash of the headlights mean in the US?

 

And compared to the cost of an accident, the minimal energy cost of DRLs is also nothing. From my experience as a driver, a cyclist, a motorcyclist, and a pedestrian, I'm convinced using lights during the day is significantly safer than not. I think it's a great idea that vehicles in my country are mandated to have DRLs.

 

hey idiot your headlights are on/off!
(edit, thats not cool, it removed my all CAPS yelling)

or

Watch out police ahead!

 

Usually, two or three quick flashes means police ahead, warning people of a radar trap you just passed. Turning your lights off, then on again after a few seconds, is meant to remind another driver that their lights are off. Shouting "Show us your headlights!" at a football game means...um...something else entirely.

 

I used something like that for my Jeep, worked really well, the Jeep had the front and rear indicators on seperate circuits. The Prius doesn't so presumably you'd have to make some modifications to prevent the rear indicators lighting up as well.

I did try that unit I had on the Prius, after about an hour of driving I was treated to some nasty plasticky melting smells. I promptly disconnected the unit. I think Toyota use very (as in extremely) thin insulation and skinny wires that can barely handle the expected current whereas the Jeep had really thick wires and insulation. Probably either as a cost cutting measure or an attempt to fit more wires in a loom, and remember, indicators were not designed to be left on all the time so there was no need to provide circuitry to carry any sort of current for long periods.

Don't know how the DRL unit they are selling works so can't comment on that, but unless it connects directly to the indicators rather than using the existing wiring, I'd be wary.