Daytime headlight usage and accident reduction

On Behalf of | Sep 21, 2017 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Montana drivers may be safer if they keep their headlights on during the day as well as at night. Although multiple studies have indicated that this is the case, just over one-fourth of vehicles manufactured at present have day running lights. Therefore, it has been proposed that there should simply be a law requiring drivers to keep their lights on at all times.

Some of the studies have found an accident reduction rate as high as 10 percent when headlights are used during the day. Their use has reduced pedestrian accidents by 12 percent and motorcycle accidents by as much as 23 percent. This is particularly significant since these are the types of accidents that tend to result in serious injuries and fatalities. The reduction is all due to greater visibility.

In countries where laws have been passed requiring daytime lights, there has been a significant reduction in accidents. Denmark had a 37 percent drop in left turn accidents while in Canada, multiple vehicle crashes dropped more than 11 percent. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration examined the costs of more frequently replacing lights as a result of keeping them on during the daytime. The agency found that drivers would only pay no more than $40 dollars per year extra. Driver education about these low costs and the safety benefits could also significantly reduce accidents.

Sometimes motor vehicle accidents happen because of a combination of factors such as low visibility and distracted driving. However, if the accident is primarily caused by one person, that person is usually considered financially liable for costs such as medical expenses. The driver’s insurance company is supposed to cover these costs, but the compensation offer may be inadequate or the driver could be uninsured. One possibility for recovering costs could be filing a lawsuit against the driver with the help of an attorney.

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