Are your car headlights bright enough?

AUTOMAKERS ARE IMPROVING HEADLIGHTS Eager to receive the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick award, many manufacturers have significantly improved their headlights, Aylor says. The IIHS’s latest

findings, released in 2021, rated one-third of the 400 evaluated headlight systems as good. However, half the headlights tested were deemed marginal or poor due to insufficient visibility,

excessive glare or both. And surprisingly, the most expensive vehicles don’t always include highly-rated headlights, notes Aylor. “We have plenty of examples of luxury cars that offer a base

headlight that doesn’t perform well,” he says. For customers to get good-rated headlights, they must often purchase an optional package, Aylor adds. However, buyers researching new vehicles

should note that vehicles that receive a Top Safety Pick rating are equipped with at least good or acceptable headlights. “We want to make sure a consumer doesn’t have to think about what

trim or package they’re going to buy; they’ll know that if they buy this particular vehicle, they’re going to have decent headlights,” he says. Aylor encourages motorists to check the IIHS

ratings, which are listed by vehicle class. Current Top Safety Picks represent the best-rated headlight systems for the model 2023 year. Aylor also suggests asking about headlights when

shopping for a new car, and test-driving a vehicle at night to see how the headlights perform. EVEN TOP-RATED HEADLIGHTS NEED TLC Most headlight lenses are constructed with polycarbonate

plastic, which is durable but vulnerable to the elements, especially the sun. Manufacturers apply a UV protective film, but over time, sun exposure breaks down the coating’s UV inhibitors,

resulting in yellowing and cloudiness, especially on cars not stored in a garage, explains David Castro, owner of OKC Headlights in Oklahoma City. You can help preserve the life of your

headlights and lenses with preventive maintenance, such as garaging your car and washing it by hand. “Automatic car washes and rock pitting or peppering from highway driving affect lens

life, wearing down the surface,” explains Castro. “Hand-washing not only extends the life of the headlights, but your paint and trim will last longer as well.” If you do go to an automatic

wash, choose a gentler one, advises Greg Buckley, owner of Buckley’s Auto Care in Wilmington, Delaware. “Make sure it has softer rollovers, not hard bristles, which are typically found in

gas stations, less expensive car washes or self-serve situations,” he says. “Those brushes and bristles can scratch the lens, along with the paint.” After washing your car, Castro suggests

applying automotive wax with UV protection to the headlights as a barrier against the sun.