Quizzes & Puzzles1 min ago
Daytime running lights
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Volvo's introduced side-lights switched on during day time when they switched from driving from the left-hand side of the road to the right hand side of the road. Lights were to be kept on by law to increase visibility for those still not used to driving on the other side. Can't remember which year this happened, either late 60s or early 70s.
"In Finland, researchers found that, during a six-year period, the use of daytime running lights in winter reduced daytime crashes by 21 percent. In Sweden, results were similar: crashes decreased by 11 percent."
Interesting US article here: http://www.usroads.com/journals/rmej/9912/rm991203.htm
and another link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8579694&dopt=Abstract
I was incorrect about Sweden introducing daytime lights when they swapped from driving from the left hand side to the right hand side of the road. Although people were advised to use lights to increase vehicle visibility it wasn't law until 1977.
"In 1955, the Swedish government held a referendum on the introduction of right-hand driving. Although no less than 82.9% voted �no� to the plebiscite, the Swedish parliament passed a law on the conversion to right-hand driving in 1963. Finally, the change took place on Sunday, the 3rd of September 1967, at 5 o�clock in the morning.
All traffic with private motor-driven vehicles was prohibited four hours before and one hour after the conversion, in order to be able to rearrange all traffic signs. Even the army was called in to help. Also a very low speed limit was applied, which was raised in a number of steps. The whole process took about a month."
they probably use them in the uk still cos there cars would have to have a redesigned electric system and fuse to allow them to be turned off and they see it as A) a waste of money to alter it for one particular car market and B) the fact we have nightime just like all the rest of the world that they are including a safety feature that might safe lives and be promoted as such!
It is like the time when 4x4's had bull bars before they were banned, they were claimed that at the time they made the cars safer because they stoped damage hitting things when in the field but then everyone drove them on the school run, so did 4x4 makers then have to provide a non bull bar option for taking kids to school or just leave it like it is?
in the end they were banned from new cars anyway