Day Time Running Lights Being Introduced

Day time running lights are about to be introduced on all new car models. They are the additional lights in the cars highlight cluster that automatically come on every time the car’s engine is running. One of the first cars to incorporate daytime running lights was the Volvo 240. Separate 21 watt bulbs were fitted alongside the side lights which were a standard 5 watt bulb. The brighter daytime running light was on all the time unless the driver switches them to the side lights. Later on Volvo decided to switch these lights to a ‘dim-dip’ design for daytime running. For the rest of the motor industry daytime running lights never really took off. Manufacturers were hesitant to incorporate them into the design of their cars and there were no European agreed common standards from which to make a design. It came down to individual countries to make up their minds on whether or not to make the lights a permanent feature. By 2006, twelve countries within Europe had decided to make driving with day time running lights compulsory. Another four countries decided on making the lights mandatory during winter months.

Daytime running lights have their pros and cons. The benefits are increased visibility for both drivers and pedestrians. If cars had lights on all the time they would be easier to see especially in built up urban areas. This could lead to significant cuts in road fatalities and injuries.  The cons centered mainly round the additional use of fuel required to power the lights and what effect that would have on emissions and driving costs. In addition concerns were raised about the safety of motorcycle drivers who may become harder to spot if all road users had their lights on during the day.

The European Commission debated possible pan-European rules for day time running lights and in 2006 produced a report on their benefits and disadvantages. The report was in favour of the lights and suggested that accidents and deaths on the roads could be reduced and the benefit to cost ratio would be positive when taking into account additional running costs and the price for fitting the lights.

So what does this all mean for the average road user? The European Commission decided on a directive in favour of daytime running lights. So from February 2011 onwards all new cars and small vans will be required to be manufactured with daytime running lights. Larger trucks and buses will be required to do so from August 2012. There will be no requirement for cars already on the roads to be fit with the lights and no requirements for road users without daytime running lights to drive with their headlights on during the day. So there will be no big changes to those who use the roads and no changes to motor insurance, as it will be the vehicle manufacturers that will have to incorporate the directive into their designs. Some manufacturers such as Audi have already started to incorporate the lights into their new product ranges, so in the next few years expect to see more new cars following suit.