Are your headlights not as strong as they used to be? Do you struggle to see more than 100ft in front of your vehicle? Not sure if it’s a problem with the lightbulb or something else? If so, you might wonder whether it’s time to replace your headlights.
Revive Headlight Covers
If you’re worried about nighttime visibility, headlights covers are the first thing you should check. As headlight covers age, they take sun damage. Plastic covers are especially susceptible to yellowing and warping, significantly reducing nighttime visibility. If your headlight covers have that sickly yellow, it might be time for a replacement.
On the other hand, if your headlight covers look cloudy but not yellow, you can improve your visibility in less than five minutes. Apply some toothpaste to a damp washcloth and rub it in by rolling the cloth into a ball a few times. Gently rub the cloth on the headlight covers and watch as months of dirt, dead bugs, and clouding wipe away like magic.
Following these steps is the less expensive alternative and can improve your nighttime driving visibility without needing to replace your headlights.
Replace the Bulbs
Some bulbs, especially HID (blue-tint lights), lose their effectiveness over time. After a few years, headlights that once shone for a quarter-mile might only illuminate a few dozen feet in front of the car. This is a major hazard, especially for those who frequent curving mountain roads, such as the Angeles Forest Highway.
You can tell it’s time for new bulbs by looking and your current lights. If bulbs look like they’re full of soot, it’s probably time to replace them. Any light that passes through the bulbs must first penetrate that ashy build-up. When paired with poorly maintained headlight covers, it can be difficult to see much of anything.
If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries in a late-night car accident, you might have a case. If you’d like an experienced Oxnard car accident attorney from The Schurmer Firm to evaluate your claim, please send us an email or call (805) 470-1628.