Make Use Of Modern Headlight Technologies That Could Save More Lives Each Year

Each year, around five thousands pedestrians and bicyclists are killed along U.S. roads - 2,300 of them occurring at night - and another 70,000 pedestrians are injured in traffic crashes, based on a 2003 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.

New automotive lighting systems, including xenon bulbs and Adaptive Front Lighting Systems that utilize led headlights, can aid better nighttime pedestrian safety, according to the Motor Vehicle Lighting Council.

Based on researcher Michael Flannagan of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, drivers "overdrive" the headlights on many of nowadays vehicles, meaning they're going very fast to stop safely within the distance made visible by the headlights.

"The vital safety need in low-beam lighting is seeing distance," Flannagan said. "The maximum secure speed with today's usual low beams is only around 45 mph. Our scientific studies indicate there is a major safety problem that headlights could address."

One possible answer is Xenon headlights, often called blue headlights, these lights are based on a gas discharge method, Xenon uses an arc instead of a filament as a light source. The result is enhanced roadway vision by increasing the light output to the sides of the road.

A 2004 University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute test revealed that Xenon headlamps provided two times as much light for seeing critical things on the road while producing 25% less glare. The wider beam coverage also provides better lighting on road shoulders, where pedestrians and bicyclists are usually found.

Almost 120 vehicle models equipped with Xenon headlights were offered in North America in the 2005 model year -; up 21 percent from 2004.

An additional rising headlight technology is AFS or Adaptive Front Lighting System. It provides optimal illumination in a variety of driving conditions by automatically modifying the beam pattern of the headlights in response to a range of speed, weather conditions and road situations. The headlamps automatically move as the steering wheel is turned. This aids light up the road at an earlier stage, allowing the driver more time to adjust and steer or brake as needed.

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