Use Modern Headlight Technologies Which Could Save More Lives Every Year

Each year, around 5,000 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, according to a 2003 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation.

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

According to researcher Michael Flannagan of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, car drivers "overdrive" the headlights on a lot of today's vehicles, meaning they're going too fast to stop safely within the distance made visible by the headlights.

"The vital safety require in low-beam lighting is seeing distance," Flannagan said. "The highest safe speed with today's normal low beams is only about 45 mph. Our studies indicate there is a major safety problem that headlights could solve."

One feasible solution is Xenon headlights, often generally known as blue headlights, these lights are based on a gas discharge process, 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 exposed that Xenon headlamps offered twice as much light for seeing critical things on the road while producing 25 percent less glare. The wider beam coverage also provides better lighting on road shoulders, where pedestrians and bicyclists are usually found.

Nearly 120 automobile models built with Xenon headlights were sold in North America in the 2005 model year -; up 21 percent from 2004.

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

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