Energy efficiency had led to the implementation of LED headlights in hundreds of thousands of vehicles across the UK. With this said, the RAC has warned that the benefits of this technology could be overshadowed by the danger they exhibit.
After all, statistics show that 15% of motorists have had a near collision due the brightness of the new favoured headlights. Here at V12 Sports and Classics, we recognise the lack of control drivers have over the work that takes place by the experts in the garage which is why we want to address the growing concern over LED headlights once and for all…
What Are LED’s?
Halogen headlights have been in use since the early 1960’s, however LED’s have risen in popularity so much over the past decade that garages now install them without giving drivers much of a choice. After all, it is hard to deny that they are a much more energy efficient alternate.
In fact, LED’s use light-emitting diodes in order to generate light and have a much longer lifespan than traditional lightbulbs. With this said, the light that is emitted from them is less directional and more focused and expert say that this could be why drivers are perceiving them as remarkably bright.
Full Beam
Every car is equipped with full-beam-headlights in order to increase the visibility of the road, however they should only be used in certain situations, such as on unlit country roads. After all, full beam headlights are incredibly bright and can dazzle drivers unexpectedly, causing a collision to occur.
Dipped Dazzle
The problem with LED headlights is the fact that they are dazzling, even when headlights are dipped. Not only does this call into question how dangerous they could potentially be at full beam, it means that other drivers are unable the escape the blinding light of a vehicle with LED’s installed. After all, the lights reflect and bounce off other surfaces very easily which can exacerbate the visibility issues even further.
Despite the excessive brightness of LED headlights, it is not illegal to have them installed. After all, they are incredibly stylish and have a much longer lifespan in comparison to halogen alternatives. If you do decide to replace your halogen headlights with LED’s, it is important to buy from reputable sellers as cheap ones are often the brightest and can put other road users at risk.
To find out whether our pre owned cars are equipped with LED or halogen headlights, get in contact with a member of the V12 team today!