“If you’re having trouble seeing behind the wheel at night, it could very well be your headlights and not your eyes that are to blame,” says David Zuby, the executive vice president and chief research officer for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In 2016, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested 31 cars from the premium and non-premium segments. The Toyota Prius v is the only midsize car out of 31 evaluated to earn a good rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s first-ever headlight ratings. All the other cars, which had standard halogen lights or optional LEDs, received marginal ratings.
The Prius v earns a good rating when equipped with LED lights and high-beam assist. To get those headlights, it is necessary to purchase the advanced technology package. That package is only available on the highest trim level. The Prius v with regular halogen lights and no high beam assist received a poor
rating.
Is It Time to Upgrade Your Car’s Headlights?
With about half of traffic deaths occurring either in the dark or in dawn or dusk conditions, improved headlights have the potential to bring about substantial reductions in fatalities. Changing your car’s headlights is an opportunity to upgrade to something that could save a life. Most new cars, come with halogen headlights installed as standard equipment. Halogen headlights are cheap but they can’t compete with HID or LED headlights.
LED Headlights
The advantages of LED lights include:
- Easy installation
- Can last up to 22 years
- Energy efficient
HID Headlights
The main advantage of HID headlights:
- Improved visibility and brightness
BrightSource has a solution for your vehicle in either technology.