Blinded by the lights

Deadly accidents are often caused by headlight misuse, and no government departments will come out and educate motorists about their correct use. So today I would like to discuss various issues surrounding the use of headlights.
In the past many headlights used halogen bulbs, which are not so bright. The brightness is measured in watts, and a higher wattage means brighter lights. According to Thai law, low-beam lights must be no brighter than 50 watts, while high-beam lights must be no brighter than 60 watts.
In the past, motorists who regularly drove long distances at night would increase the brightness of the headlights in two ways. First, they would install high-wattage bulbs – 90 watts for low beam and 110 watts for high beam. This is in fact illegal and disturbs other road users. The lights are too bright, and if the beam is adjusted too high, it will be terribly disturbing – if not blinding – to other motorists.
Moreover, if the wattage of the bulbs is increased without replacing the electric cables with higher capacity ones, there is also a risk of melting the cable insulation, leading to short circuits and fires.
The second way was by equipping the car with spotlights, both white and yellow, that were intended for use on dirt roads or when there is thick fog. This was also illegal, since the law clearly stated the exact number of light bulbs and wattage. Later this law was amended, but the height of the spotlights was fixed. They must not be above the center-point of the original headlights, and the light beam must not disturb other road users.
Today, most headlights are high intensity discharge (HID), xenon, or projectors. Their wattage is not very high. However, their design, the various gases in the bulbs, the reflectors in the lamps and the shape of the lenses help to improve the illumination. So despite offering better illumination, the wattage of today’s lights is lower than what the law specifies.
Owners of many old vehicles also change the headlights to xenon types, knowing that it is highly dangerous to drive without good illumination of the road ahead, especially when having to drive through heavy rain or fog.
But there are things you need to consider. First, the xenon bulbs must be of a high standard. Many cheap xenon bulbs made by small factories and sold in the market today have a short lifespan and often suffer from short circuits.
The higher brightness also results in more heat being generated in the lamps, and modern cars have small heat-dispersion holes in the lamps to lower the heat level. However, the small holes cause moisture in the lamps and this dirties the bulbs and they don’t last as long as they should. The illumination is also much poorer with dirty bulbs.
In order to prevent this moisture gathering, remember to switch on the headlights whenever you drive through rain or damp areas. The heat from the bulbs will help to increase the air temperature in the lamp and it will be forced out through the small holes. When you do this regularly, the reflectors will remain clean and shiny.
You can always keep the headlights on, no matter if it rains or not. Don’t worry about adding a burden to the engine or using more fuel. The headlight system in modern vehicles does not use much electrical power. In addition, turning on the headlights helps to improve safety because you can see the road ahead clearer, while others can also see you coming.
This is why many cars in Europe come with daytime running lights as standard equipment. These lights turn on automatically every time the engine is started. In some countries, these lights are even required by law.
Most importantly, make sure that you never switch to high beam when there is a vehicle in front of your car, or when there is passing traffic on the other side of the road. The high beam will disturb others and disrupt their view of the road ahead.
Also, do not use high beam when driving in the rain, since it will lower your visibility ahead. Remember to always use low beam when driving through heavy rain or fog.
The headlights are a very helpful part of your vehicle, but if you use them incorrectly they will cause more harm than good. Learn how to use them properly and you’ll be a safer driver.