Daytime Running Lights – What are They and how do They Work?

Last week we talked about xenon and bi xenon car lights. This time around we will be talking about daytime running lights or DRLs for short. Daytime running lights are fairly new to Pakistan. Although there have been vehicles imported to Pakistan with DRL lights, including locally sold Audi vehicles, Honda Pakistan was the first to offer them in a locally produced vehicle.

Also Read: Understanding the Xenon HID Lights

To put it simply, daylight or daytime running lights, as the name suggests, are lights that light up even at the daytime when the car is in motion. LED lights are used in the making of DRLs. The purpose of DRLs is to improve the visibility of the vehicle. Since those lights are quite bright and quite distinct, they make the vehicle conspicuous for other motorists as well as pedestrians. The DRLs are not only specific to motor vehicles like cars and motorbikes, but you can get aftermarket daytime running lights for your bicycle as well.

The lights turn on, on their own when the vehicle starts to move and usually emits brilliant white light. Other than white colors are also available like amber or yellow.

Need for Daytime Running Lights

In many European countries (specifically Scandinavian countries), the weather often remains dreary, grey and cloudy. Some countries introduced regulations for motorists, especially those running the heavy lorries and trailers, must turn on their headlights in such weather condition to improve the visibility and making the vehicle easier to spot for others on the road. Sweden was the first county to implement daytime lights. And it is only a matter of time when they become a standard feature for vehicles around the world.

The concept of running some sort of vehicle lighting in the daytime while the vehicle is on the road isn’t new and several studies have been conducted to improve driver safety in this regard. The current form of LED DRLs are only the latest step in the evolution of the concept of daytime lights. With the evolution of the concept, the carmakers ended up introducing dedicated lights for the same purpose. A study in United States concluded that although the DRLs didn’t decrease the amount of accidents in cars, there was significant amount of reduction in the cars of larger vehicles like trucks.

Rules around the world

There are strict restrictions regarding the DRLs in such countries and you can’t run them when the headlights are already on. Its slightly different here in Pakistan of course, and you can mount as many lights on your vehicle as you like to make your vehicle conspicuous while making everyone else blind. Although initial intention was to make the cars easier to spot, companies like Audi took the chance and not only made DRLs stylish but also something that others desire in their vehicle as well. It became a fashion accessory within the car community. Also with the introduction of LED daytime running lights, you can have then keep running all the time, and not just when your car is in motions.

Aftermarket options

LEDs do not cause any unnecessary load on the electrical system of the vehicle like regular halogen lights would do. Also, when the DRL concept was new and headlights were used to perform the similar function, it could hinder the regular driving and viewing at the night time. But now you have DRLs that light up as soon you start the engine and they don’t bother the driver and interior dashboard lighting like regular headlights would do.

So if you are looking some daytime running lights, you can find them at PakWheels Store here.