Two headlights are better than one: How changing headlights in pairs makes nighttime driving safer

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., Oct. 10, 2018 ---When it comes to vehicle maintenance, professional automotive technicians and organizations that promote safe driving have always advocated replacing certain safety components in their vehicles, such as tires, brakes, shocks and wiper blades, in pairs.

Replacing parts in pairs ensures that the vehicle is properly balanced and functioning safely. But it's not just tires, brakes and shocks that should be replaced in pairs. Vehicle lighting plays an integral role in keeping drivers and their passengers safe, and motorists should exercise the same level of caution regarding their vehicles' headlights, taillights, and turn signals that they do with other parts of their cars and trucks.

Why replace aging headlight bulbs?

Most drivers are not aware that headlight bulbs can wear out and degrade over time. As a result, headlights are often overlooked when drivers conduct routine vehicle maintenance. As they age, headlight bulbs put out less light, which can dramatically compromise visibility at night, when drivers' visual acuity is already naturally reduced by as much as 70 percent.

According to Lumileds, a leading lighting solutions company for the automotive industry, headlight bulbs begin to project significantly less light within two to three years of their initial installation, producing dimmer light outputs that can compromise the safety of drivers and their passengers.