New Headlights Unsafe Despite Sleek Designs
According to a nonprofit U.S. research group, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), although modern headlights are more ornately designed and attractive than ever before, they are functioning poorly. The IIHS has released four studies over the past few years, all concluding that many cars have poor or marginal-functioning headlights.
This industry watchdog group represents major insurance companies trying to reduce the loss incurred by vehicle damage and injuries. Their studies looked at all types of cars, trucks, and SUVs – both foreign and domestic – of various sizes and price points, and included a diverse list of automaker names and models.
Headlamps are becoming similar to works of art since the switch from the mandatory use of halogen headlights to modern LED lighting. Now, designers are free to put greater detail into their designs, incorporating outlines that bleed out into cars’ quarter panels and hood lines.
The primary problem now is that headlights, though brighter and able to shine farther, are leaving the assembly line poorly aimed. There are currently no regulations or controls to ensure that the lights are properly positioned. This results in lights that are pointed in unintended directions, rendering their brightness useless to drivers and creating intense glare for oncoming traffic.
Top Safety Picks Declining
Researchers measured how far light is projected from low and high beams, and determined whether they created excessive glare. They found that only four models out of 100 were “good.” A shocking 40 models received a “poor” ranking due to their headlights, and the balance received ratings of “marginal” and “poor.”
To receive the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick Plus award, new requirements state that a vehicle must have a “good” headlight rating. While last year 38 were bestowed with the award, this year only 15 were awarded.
A senior research engineer at IIHS purports that even though less than half of all driving occurs at night, nearly half of all auto-related fatalities occur at night. Since headlights are one of the biggest reducers of nighttime car accidents, he was disturbed by the results of the recent headlight tests.
IIHS is aware that many consumers are either unaware of, or do not heed, these studies because they are fairly new. However, they note that since the publication of the report, some manufacturers have actually changed their designs or tightened factory controls to foster improvement.
New Brunswick Car Accident Lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr Zealously Advocate for Accident Victims
If you or your loved ones have been injured in a car accident due to a defective auto part or the negligence of another, call our New Brunswick car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr at 732-537-8570 or contact us online. With offices located in Highland Park, New Jersey, we serve clients in Middlesex County, including the communities of Highland Park, Somerset, New Brunswick, Edison, South River, Sayreville, Metuchen, East Brunswick, South Plainfield, Fords, Middlesex, Old Bridge, Iselin, Bound Brook, Perth Amboy, and Colonia, New Jersey.
