Safety in numbers
Why it pays to replace headlight bulbs in pairs
W
hen it comes to vehicle maintenance, the rule of two has long
reigned among professional
automotive technicians and driving safety
advocates. In accordance to this rule, drivers
replacing important parts in their cars and
trucks, such as tires, brakes, shocks and wiper blades, should always do so in pairs.
Replacing parts in pairs can ensure vehicles
are properly balanced and functioning safely.
But it’s not just tires, brakes and other big-ticket components 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 caution
regarding their vehicles’ headlights, taillights
and turn signals that they do when maintaining the rest of their cars and trucks.
Why replace aging headlight bulbs?
Few drivers include headlight bulb
replacement in their vehicle maintenance
routines. But old headlight bulbs can drastically compromise visibility at night, when
drivers’ visual acuity is naturally reduced by
initiative, Philips also packages its Upgrade
Headlight Bulbs in pairs.
Though replacing two headlight bulbs
when only one is dimming may seem
unwarranted, maintaining a consistent
light output in both headlights makes the
road safer for drivers, their passengers and
oncoming motorists. When only one bulb is
replaced, the resulting light output can be
Why replace bulbs two at a time?
both unbalanced and unpredictable, proIn an effort to promote the importance
viding inadequate lighting that can comproof changing headlight bulbs two at a time,
mise driver visibility. In addition, oncoming
Philips developed the ‘Change In Pairs’
motorists may experience difficulty seeing
safety campaign, which aims to educate
vehicles with just one headlight operating
motorists about the dangers of dimming
at full capacity, and some may even mistake
lights while promoting the many reasons
oncoming cars and trucks for motorcycles,
that changing bulbs in pairs makes the road creating positioning issues for drivers on
safer for all travelers. To support this safety
both sides of the yellow line.
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as much as 70 percent. As headlight bulbs
age, the effects of exposure to sunlight,
ozone and pollution can significantly
reduce their light output. According to
Philips Automotive, a leading manufacturer of vehicle lighting components,
headlight bulbs begin to project significantly less light within two to three years
of their initial usage, producing dimmer
light outputs that compromise the safety
of drivers and their passengers. For example, new headlight bulbs capable of
projecting 240-foot beams in front of a
vehicle may see that projection dwindle to
just 160 feet within two to three years.
R 46th YEAR
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