Boyd's Blog

Prepare for the end of Daylight Saving Time with proper maintenance of vehicle lighting to ensure safety. After November 2nd, clocks “fall back” which causes most drivers’ commutes to be in darker lighting, being that dusk will occur during peak hours of evening traffic hours. As winter quickly approaches, vehicle lighting should be inspected to ensure optimum visibility for drivers in dim or inclement conditions that command top quality operations of both lighting and windshield wipers.

 

External vehicle lighting serves as an imperative part of enabling vehicle operation and safety during winter months, especially after Daylight Saving Time has passed. Potential for accidents increases drastically as obstacles and obstructions are more difficult to see with winter weather conditions.

 

When inspecting a vehicle’s lighting system, all lights should be inspected including: parking lights, headlights (high and low beam), turn signals/emergency flashers, brake lights, backup lights, interior lights and instrumentation lighting. Ensuring visibility for both yourself and other drivers is essential for safe driving during winter months as brake lights, turn signals and other informative signals could easily prevent an accident.

 

During vehicle inspections throughout National Car Care Month, mechanics indicated maintenance of lighting to be one of vehicle’s most neglected repairs. Approximately one of every ten vehicles is suffering from subpar lighting of brakes, turn signals or headlights. Quickly inspect any vehicle with suspected light failure as these malfunctions could be dangerous for all vehicles on the road.

 

Intermittently clear headlights and other lighting cases of mud and other debris that might have collected on the headlights during use. Cleaning instructions of headlights are clearly stated in each vehicle’s owner’s manual, with instructions on light alignment and replacement. Headlights can easily be bumped out of alignment by rocky driving conditions or rough terrain; this misalignment can distract other drivers and cause an accident. Headlight restoration can be addressed by different methods of home treatments and professional services. Auto repair specialists should inspect headlights annually to ensure headlights are correctly maintained and properly functioning.

 

Contact an auto repair specialist to ensure headlights are prepared for Daylight Saving Time’s end with cleaning, alignment and overall restoration of headlights to improve safety and travel.