Road safety and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist is urging motorists to always ensure they’re as visible as possible following complaints about vehicles with dangerous lighting defects.
There are large numbers of drivers using vehicles with defective headlights, causing a significant risk to themselves and others on dark days and wintry nights, the firm warns.
Cars with only one headlight mean the drivers have only 50 per cent of the light they should have, and the missing light risks causing confusion to other road users who may think there’s a motorbike approaching, says GEM.
Parking and slow speed manoeuvring is also made riskier, as the absence of light means impacts with parked vehicles, walls, posts and trees are much more likely.
A GEM spokesperson urged drivers to use dipped headlights on every journey and not to assume that a car’s automatic light settings would guarantee safety and visibility.
She said: “Drivers who consider that lights are for use only in darkness are causing danger to themselves and others.
“Many drivers are making journeys on gloomy winter days without switching their lights on.
“Using dipped headlights for all journeys at this time of year is the safest option.
“Unfortunately, some drivers are making themselves harder to spot from behind when daytime visibility is reduced, because they’re relying on automatic lighting systems and front-only daytime running lights.
“These lights are designed purely so that a vehicle can be seen; they do little to illuminate the road ahead.”