Day Running Lights on cars - an unsafe safety feature?

[quisquose]

Day Running Lights (DRLs) are mandatory on new cars from 2012.

 

I've now noticed a number of new cars running around at night with front lights on but no rear lights, and assume it's the drivers running around with their DRLs on and thinking their main lights are on.

 

I can't help but think this is a daft "safety" feature, but I am willing to be convinced otherwise.

[buddysbuddy]

Day Running Lights (DRLs) are mandatory on new cars from 2012.

 

I've now noticed a number of new cars running around at night with front lights on but no rear lights, and assume it's the drivers running around with their DRLs on and thinking their main lights are on.

 

I can't help but think this is a daft "safety" feature, but I am willing to be convinced otherwise.

 

I think the system as it is is daft!! my car has this feature and it was not until I parked up and walked round the car that I realised I had no lights on the rear. I now turn on the proper lights if my dash shows that these are on. how hard can it be to make all lights come on.

[Garbo]

dont you just turn your headlights on when it gets dark?

[Tomm06]

dont you just turn your headlights on when it gets dark?

 

This is what I'd have thought. Are the drivers who have DRL's just assume all their lights are on at all times, or they just have the automatic sensors or something?

[suzyoo]

Day Running Lights (DRLs) are mandatory on new cars from 2012.

 

I've now noticed a number of new cars running around at night with front lights on but no rear lights, and assume it's the drivers running around with their DRLs on and thinking their main lights are on.

 

I can't help but think this is a daft "safety" feature, but I am willing to be convinced otherwise.

 

does the dashboard light up when the drl are on? --- if not there's one major clue there.

[medusa]

Many new cars do have automatic lights, so even though my car has DRLs, it also automatically goes onto dipped main beam as soon as the light gets poor.

 

---------- Post added 29-12-2012 at 12:07 ----------

 

does the dashboard light up when the drl are on? --- if not there's one major clue there.

 

No, it doesn't. The backlight on the dashboard comes on as the dipped main beams come on.

[buddysbuddy]

This is what I'd have thought. Are the drivers who have DRL's just assume all their lights are on at all times, or they just have the automatic sensors or something?

 

in the first instance I thought because the " lights on" symbol was showing that the lights were automatically turned on. I found out I was wrong when I thought " the lights are on a bit early" as it was not really dark. I just switch them on now. I feel that the silly thing is that the auto function only puts the front lights on.

[Garbo]

in the first instance I thought because the " lights on" symbol was showing that the lights were automatically turned on. I found out I was wrong when I thought " the lights are on a bit early" as it was not really dark. I just switch them on now. I feel that the silly thing is that the auto function only puts the front lights on.

 

what car do you have?

[buddysbuddy]

what car do you have?

 

citroen c4---- and no I did not find info on this in the handbook.

[Magilla]

Day Running Lights (DRLs) are mandatory on new cars from 2012.

 

I've now noticed a number of new cars running around at night with front lights on but no rear lights, and assume it's the drivers running around with their DRLs on and thinking their main lights are on.

 

I can't help but think this is a daft "safety" feature, but I am willing to be convinced otherwise.

 

I think it's a decent feature. Lets not forget that the dash lights aren't on when the DRLs are so this would seem to "user error" of forgetting to put your lights on.

 

I have noticed a big increase in people driving with DRLs and side lights though, where the dash lights do come on but heads don't. Rears are on.