Peger Road Auto Repair
1904 PEGER RD FAIRBANKS, Alaska 99709 | (907) 479-6162
According to the Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology report: Publication Number: FHWA-RD-99-074
Nighttime driving is one of the motorist's most difficult tasks. The risks of having a nighttime accident on the road are 2 to 3 times greater than during the daytime. Since the basic difference between night and day driving is the absence of light at night, the increase in the accident rate in periods of darkness can be mainly attributed to poor visibility conditions. During nighttime driving, the visibility distance largely depends upon the availability of artificial light, the source of light being the vehicle headlamps or fixed overhead lighting. The vehicle's headlamps are by far the main source of illumination available to the driver. The condition and potency of these lamps will directly impact the driver's ability to see objects at night.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2016 first ever headlight rating results:
"If you're having trouble seeing behind the wheel at night, it could very well be your headlights and not your eyes that are to blame," says David Zuby, IIHS executive vice president and chief research officer.
About half of traffic fatalities occur in the dark or in dawn or dusk conditions, so improved headlights have the potential to make nighttime driving safer.
During testing, IIHS used a special device that measures the light from both low beams and high beams as the vehicle is driven on five different approaches: traveling straight, a sharp left curve, a sharp right curve, a gradual left curve and a gradual right curve.
The facts show how important proper visibility is to nighttime/wintertime driving. Here in Fairbanks, maybe even more so. Sometimes even with the summer sun glare, lights on a vehicle are the only thing you can see.
Obviously, a clean windshield, wiper blades, and mirrors all make an impact. Your headlights play a biggest role.
There are two main concerns: One is with the headlamp, or bulb. The other is the lens.
The fact of the matter is that headlamps go dim over time, and like other areas of your car, they require maintenance. Some vehicles come with a standard blub which you can replace or you can upgrade to a halogen bulb that's much brighter. Halogen costs a little more but the difference could justify that.
It's a good idea to inspect and adjust headlamps once a year. The idea is that your lamps never dim to the point that they become a safety issue.
The other big issue is the headlamp lens. For the last couple of decades, most lenses are made of plastic which can get cloudy or yellow. That blocks a lot of light. You can replace the lens, but each lens assembly can cost as much as $350 to $400. It's much less expensive to restore headlight lenses if it isn't broken.
So combining a headlamp restoration with new bulbs will light up the road like a new car. Can you clearly see the advantage?
Peger Road Auto Repair
1904 Peger Road
Fairbanks, AK 99709
(907) 479-6162
http://www.pegerauto.com