If daytime running lights were mandatory

Your alternator runs the electrical system anyway and is on when the car is on. Turning on the lights does increase the load on the alternator that much more than the rest of the electrical system has already placed on it so I'd say he's wrong.

If the lights add 10% load (which I think is high) it would be more like 10% of that $600M number he throws out, or $60M.

Their is also a whole bunch of other stuff he's ignoring (like the car is DC power, not AC power) so I'd say he's further off than I stated above.

Also, he's using numbers for ALL vehicles on the road, not just new cars which would have the daytime running lights which means his numbers are even more bogus.

IMO daytime running lights are a good idea. I can't count the number of people I've seen driving at dusk with their lights off, not to mention the people who don't turn them on when it rains because "I can see just fine" HELLO, it's so other can see YOU moron!

 

They debunked this on Car Talk a while back.

 

DRLs are deadly to motorcyclists. When the motorcycles turn on their low beams constantly in the later 1980s, they became much more visible, and accidents fell. When all cars have their lights on, the visiblity of motorcyclists will diminish and more of us will die.

Secondly, as an astronomer, I often find myself in the middle of a field at 3:00 AM, a buddy may be working on the last 20 minutes of a 2 hour photo of some celestial object. I can load the car up without light, since I have been in complete darkness for 6 hours I can even see the road without any lights. In this case, I can get in my car, start it up, put it in gear (clutched manual) and drive the first 1/2 mile without lights. On that old country road at 3:AM there is no traffic, or if there is, I can easily see them by means of their lights. So after moving a comfortable distance, I can then turn the lights on and avoid ruining my friends exposure.

Lest say DRLs consume 100 Watts of power, this requires about 130 watts from the engine or about 1/5 HP. A fuel efficient vehicle (Toyota Camry V6) will be consuming 5-6 HP as it travels down the road at 60 MPH. 746 Watts/second is 1 HP. So, DRLs can add 4% max to the min fuel consumption. Less efficient vehicles will be degraded less.

There are times that automatic features are just plain silly. DRLs are one of these.

 

Mitch's comment: When the motorcycles turn on their low beams constantly in the later 1980s, they became much more visible, and accidents fell. When all cars have their lights on, the visiblity of motorcyclists will diminish and more of us will die.

Interesting thought, I have also wondered how long before the 3rd brake light safety effect wears off, once all cars have them and the novelty - and thus the initial attention getter - is gone.

 

DRLs are deadly to motorcyclists......


CRAP is that wrong... 100k miles on two wheels many of them in Canada where DTRLs are manditory,
Damnit being able to see ANYTHING a little before is good.
Day time I turn on lights on whatever I am driving

There is no aditional cost to the operator just look at Insurance institute for highway safety

 

Get some night vision goggles and take your g/f or significant other for a ride in the dark, , , ,

Best screams you ever heard . .. .

 

you realize that is from 1984 or 85 don't you think that would have worn off by now?