Appeal for drivers to check lights
A local motorist has supported the Road Safety Authority's call for all drivers to check the lighting operation of their vehicles.
Eric Hughes of Toomevara drives the M7 between his home and Limerick on a daily basis. He has become very concerned with the number of vehicles he encounters in early mornings and at evening-time that do not have rear lights activated.
With the return to shorter days, and mindful of the number of accidents that have occurred on the local stretch of the M7, Mr Hughes is appealing for greater awareness of the situation.
“Unfortunately, quite a lot of modern cars have automatic lights, which come on when one starts the car, giving the impression that all lights are illuminated,” he said. “This is not the case. The rear lights must be switched on manually.”
Mr Hughes said most of the Nissan range manufactured after 2011 as well as several models of Skoda, Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes have rear lights that must be switched on manually. But he said an alarming number of motorists do not seem to realise this. He has flashed other motorists with his lights to try and make them aware of the situation. And he said a significant portion of the poorly-lit vehicles he encounters have Tipperary registration plates.
“This morning I travelled towards Limerick in wet misty conditions,” Mr Hughes said last week. “I estimate that five out of 10 vehicles I passed had no rear lights illuminated, but they were lit up at the front of the car.
“This is quite a dangerous situation and could be the cause of a serious collision with injuries or worse sustained.”
In a statement, the Road Safety Authority appealed for drivers to be wary now that shorter days and the likelihood of more harsh weather conditions has arrived.
“Under EU Type Approval law, all vehicles manufactured since 2011 must be fitted with Daytime Running Lights (DRLs),” the RSA stated. “These are lights which automatically activate when the engine is switched on. They are a fantastic asset to road safety and reduce the likelihood of side- or head-on collisions during the day.
“However, just as the darkness creeps in unnoticed, so too has an over-reliance on modern technology. Judging by recent correspondence to the RSA, a growing number of motorists are mistaking their DRLs for dipped headlights.”
The authority stated that DRLs do not produce enough light to illuminate the road in darkness and said these are intended for daytime driving only.
“Some manufacturers choose to pair front daytime running lights with rear ones too, but it is not compulsory,” the statement stressed. “This means that there may be some motorists driving around at night in the mistaken belief that just because they have lights which switch on automatically at the front, they are also on at the rear.
“So, driving with DRLs at night not only seriously diminishes your view of the road, your visibility to others is minimal and you could run the risk of being rear-ended. Therefore, if you have dedicated DRLs on your vehicle, make sure to switch to your headlights during ‘lighting up’ hours.”
For vehicles not fitted with DRLs, the RSA encouraged use of dipped headlights instead during the day to increase visibility.
“It is important to check regularly that all your lights are working and properly aligned,” the RSA stated. “Make sure you’re seen and can see the road ahead. From dusk to dawn, let your dipped headlights shine but don’t dazzle oncoming drivers. Crucially, if your vehicle is fitted with daytime running lights, remember to switch on your dipped head lights at lighting up time.”