Do you know what the most common cause of automobile accidents is? It's not drinking and driving.

In fact, it has nothing to do with the driver. The number one cause of car collisions in America is a result of poor visibility: drivers failing to see pedestrians or other cars because their headlights are malfunctioning.

When your car's headlights aren't working properly, it can be difficult for others on the road to see you coming - even when they're looking out for you! Car lights may seem like an unimportant detail, but they can make all the difference in preventing devastating collisions.

How to know when your headlights need to be replaced

So should you just change your headlights when they burn out, or should you get them checked every so often?

Your car's headlight can last upwards of 2000 hours and typically starts dimming after 500 hours of use and may eventually stop working.

If your headlights burn out, they need to be replaced as soon as possible for the safety of you and those around you on the road. Replacing a headlight at home is not recommended as it's very dangerous and could lead to personal injury or damage to your vehicle.

The consequence of driving without working headlights is that other drivers may not see you in time or think that your vehicle is further away than it really is, leading to accidents.

You can check to make sure all of your headlights are operational by turning them on at night and checking the front of the car for illumination when viewed from 20 feet away (near a wall or garage door).

If one or more do not light up, then they need to be replaced.

You should have all of your headlights inspected every 6 months or 5, 000 miles for optimal safety.

What the difference is between halogen and LED headlights

Both halogen and LED headlights work using light bulbs that produce beams of light.

How they differ is in the way their brightness is generated - in terms of heat, lifespan, and appearance.

Standard Halogen bulbs are heated by gas inside the bulb until it gets so hot it glows.

This is what makes headlights so bright. The downside to this method is that it produces a great deal of heat for the amount of light produced.

Halogens generally last between 300-1, 000 hours, meaning you may need to change them frequently if you're frequently driving at night or around other cars on an everyday basis (these lights can also burn out faster if one burns out). Halogen headlight bulbs are generally less expensive than HID headlights.

HIDs, or high-intensity discharge light bulbs, are made up of two metal electrodes surrounded by argon gas and a small amount of mercury. The electrodes create an arc between them that excites the mercury atoms, which then produce UV light (which is invisible to the naked eye). This process produces quite a bit more light than halogen lights do for less energy input - though it's not actually brighter.

HIDs also take 1-3 seconds to fully warm up so they can reach their full brightness once turned on. They last between 2, 000-5,000 hours but usually cost around $200 per bulb. This makes them far more expensive than standard headlight bulbs. Those looking to buy HIDs will need to make sure they are compatible with their vehicle and this usually requires an HID-specific wiring harness.

HIDs produce a much bluer light than standard headlights. This allows them to be used for applications where color is important, but it also can cause problems in some situations. For example, when using your high beams at night the light given off by halogen bulbs causes whatever you are looking at to appear normal.

However, since HIDs give off a blue-ish light this makes anything primarily lit by them has a distinct purple hue.

So while it might seem bright, there may still be obstacles that are invisible because they haven't been illuminated by the bluish light of the HID.

This means you might still have objects that are hard to see because they don't stand out against the background lit by your headlights, or at least not as much as they would if you had halogen bulbs.

The result is one of "High Intensity" disorientation, which can occur when using high beams with an inappropriate color spectrum.

The importance of car headlights in general.

A car's headlights are the only method of illuminating a portion of the road ahead during nighttime driving.

This means that keeping your lights in good working order is very important for both safety, and avoid getting pulled over by police officers.

HIDs do not perform as well as halogen bulbs in cold weather, which can affect visibility.

In addition to this, it's been found that HID ballasts tend to fail at a higher rate than other parts on a car, so often you'll find yourself replacing them frequently if they go out.

Conclusion

Headlights are an important safety measure in any vehicle.

They can help you see the road ahead, make sure there is enough space when changing lanes, and even warn potential oncoming traffic of your presence with their bright lights.

And if they happen to be broken or not working properly?

That’s a very bad thing! Fortunately for drivers everywhere, Renewcar offers headlight restoration services that will get you back up to speed quickly and affordably. 

To find out more about us, visit renewcar.co.nz