A new energy saving ‘daytime running’ vehicle light, which requires
twelve times less energy than using dipped beam during the day, has been
developed by Hella.
Despite their bad reputation, mainly attributable to clueless Volvo drivers,
tests in Europe show that the use of daytime running lights can reduce the
number of fatal accidents by up to 25 percent.
In Lower Saxony, 20 administrative districts took part in a campaign to
encourage driving with lights on during the day. Drivers were advised to drive
with their lights on by posters placed at numerous accident blackspots. The
campaign organised by the German traffic patrol organisation, the state of Lower
Saxony and the German administration and employer’s liability insurance
association resulted in more than 25 percent fewer deaths at the spots where the
posters were placed.
In Scandinavian and Eastern European countries, driving with the lights on
during the day is already mandatory. Legislation now allows the use of daytime
running lights in all European countries. Although to date this has been
achieved by the automatic switching on of dipped-beam headlights and combination
rear lamps when the engine starts.
The Hella compact, energy-saving daylight running lamp can be retrofitted in
a similar way to auxiliary headlamps on the front of the vehicle and
automatically switches on at ignition. Other lighting devices on the vehicle are
not affected so there is no depletion of headlamp and rear combination lamp
bulbs. The contrast of dashboard displays and navigational systems also remains
unaffected and when the normal vehicle lighting is switched on, the daytime
driving light is automatically extinguished.
The new Hella daytime running lights are available from all Hella stockists
and are priced at £24.98 + VAT.
