While driving a car, visibility is one aspect to consider for your safety and the safety of other road users.
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You may encounter natural environmental conditions that can disrupt your vision on the road, such as fog. Fog can cause cloudiness on your way, thereby making navigation difficult. Driving carefully, using the wipers, and paying full attention to the road may no longer be enough. You need the correct type of fog light to tackle the problem.
These days, there is a debate about yellow fog lights versus white fog lights, which might interest you.
WHAT ARE FOG LIGHTS?
You can be a decent driver and owner of a vehicle, yet you might not have insight into these sorts of vehicle lights. Some people may mistake these car lights for headlights, as many of these lights are mounted on the front of a car and work to provide illumination to the driver in poor visibility conditions. However, fog lights differ from headlights in both function and form.
Fog lights are usually placed under the headlights, but some car models have them mounted on their bumpers. They by and large discharge yellow light, which has the most imperative infiltration capacity among every single colored light. This helps the driver to have much better visibility on foggy days. You can also find others that produce white light. White light from bulbs can sometimes cause glare in the eyes of approaching road users.
YELLOW VS. WHITE FOG LIGHTS: HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON CHART
Yellow Vs. White Fog Lights Differences: Detailed Analysis
Appearance
As the name implies, the yellow fog light takes on a yellow color when turned on. This kind of fog light is perhaps the most widely recognized; many incline toward them because the natural eye is more lenient toward yellow lights. It enhances a car’s aesthetic appearance, and users can turn it on to make a statement. Then again, a complete component of the white light is that it has a white appearance, nearly with a somewhat blue shade. It is popular with many car owners because it brings certain simplicity.
Bulb Compatibility
There are no significant differences between yellow and white fog lights in bulb compatibility, as both can work with halogen or LED bulbs. Putting HID in the fog lights is not advisable. When people drive at night, HID lights provide them with more light to see, especially in the area immediately in front of the vehicle. In theory, this could make HID lights safer for the driver, but in the real sense, it could cause more danger because the solid blue light they emit can blind other road users.
Color Temperature
The color of the yellow and white lights differs because of their different temperatures. By looking at the light color temperature chart, you can see that yellow light functions around 2,000-3,000 kelvins, while the white fog light is between 5,000 and 6,000 kelvins.
Brightness
The yellow fog light reduces glare towards other drivers. This is particularly significant during rain, snow, or fog, or anytime water is in the air reflecting light towards you. That is why the yellow light used to be the more common fog light. However, the white fog light enlightens the street better due to its brightness than the yellow one.
Distance
The yellow fog light illuminates the path ahead at a greater distance because it has a longer wavelength. Unlike the yellow fog light, the white fog light is less effective due to its shorter wavelength causing it to refract or bounce backlight.
Glare
The white fog light produces more glare when compared to the yellow fog, which has no glare.
Are Yellow or White Fog Lights Illegal?
This is a great question to consider depending on your location or where you plan to visit. Various domains may have explicit laws concerning the utilization of these car lights. For example, in Florida, traffic laws prohibit fog lights when other vehicles are on the road unless there is fog.
Yellow vs. White Fog Lights: Which Are Better?
When choosing the right fog light between white and yellow, it’s up to your preference. It would help if you considered each of the benefits and drawbacks, which will help you decide which is better for your vehicle.
The Pros of the Yellow Fog Light
Ease of contact with the human eye. The human eyes will ideally indulge the yellow light, whether focused on approaching road users or the road.
It ensures safety because it takes less effort to see.
Yellow fog lights cut well through different environmental conditions capable of affecting vision.
It is important for the perception of depth, which is helpful if you are driving in an unfamiliar environment.
The yellow lights also add extra beauty to the car.
The Cons of Yellow Fog Light
The main drawback of the yellow light is that it might not be sufficiently bright in some situations. This issue becomes evident when utilizing a yellow fog light color.
The Pros of White Fog Light
The white fog light brings some straightforwardness, which numerous vehicle owners appreciate.
It is adaptable, which infers that you can utilize it as a standard vehicle light.
It is exceptionally brilliant and can carry great enlightenment to dark spots.
The Cons of White Fog Light
It can be too bright, making it unsuitable for human vision. Such brightness can cause tension while driving.
There is the danger of refraction because of its short frequency, expanding the odds of glares.
Fog Light Tips
Fog lights are imperative extras for your car as they help you move around in weather conditions where permeability is poor.
Yellow and white fog lights are more beneficial in dealing with fog, especially for small car drivers, compared with other colored lights such as blue, violet, and indigo. Try to avoid these other colored lights because they have very short wavelengths and are difficult to comprehend by the human eye. The blue light, for instance, focuses on the front of the eyes, while the yellow color hits the retina at the right point, making it easier to process.
If you have them, the main tip is to use them wherever circumstances call for it, during storms, downpours, snow, and fog.
If in doubt, which one to use, do more research and talk with a local vehicle lighting expert for guidance.
Also, when you get out of your vehicle for whatever reason, never leave the fog lights on because they will deplete your battery, just like regular headlights.
Final Thoughts
The vehicle lighting system is essential while driving as it helps to increase visibility and preserves road safety. Among the different kinds of lights accessible on present-day vehicles are the fog lights, which are the little lights under the headlights. As the name Implies, they assume a fundamental part in foggy conditions, empowering the driver to see through the cloud.
Tim Miller, a mechanic and car blogger from Denver, Colorado, is the Editor-in-Chief of gmundcars.com – a blog about Automotive. He has had over 10 years of experience in the car repair and maintenance field and has been writing articles to share his experiences and expertise. Some of his reviews and articles about car parts and tools can be found on his website. Check him out on Facebook and Twitter
Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) and Position Lights constitute integral components of vehicular lighting systems, crucial for enhancing road safety and visibility. Despite their ubiquitous presence, a discourse persists regarding their distinct functions and advantages. This blog endeavors to elucidate the academic significance of DRLs and Position Lights within the realm of automotive engineering and safety.
DRLs represent a pivotal innovation aimed at augmenting vehicle visibility during daylight hours. Operating at a heightened luminance compared to Position Lights, DRLs serve as a proactive safety measure, particularly in adverse weather conditions such as fog or inclement weather. Empirical evidence underscores the efficacy of DRLs in reducing daytime collisions, thus accentuating their indispensable role in contemporary road safety initiatives. Furthermore, the energy-efficient characteristics of DRLs align with sustainability imperatives, contributing to fuel conservation and emission reduction.
Position Lights, alternatively referred to as parking lights or sidelights, fulfill a niche yet significant role within vehicular lighting systems. Initially conceived to delineate parked vehicles, Position Lights have evolved to serve as markers of a vehicle's stationary presence on the roadway. Emitting a subtle luminance, these lights afford minimal illumination, thereby facilitating the identification of parked vehicles without impeding the visibility of other motorists. Their utility becomes especially pronounced during low-light conditions, mitigating collision risks and enhancing overall road safety.
The juxtaposition of DRLs and Position Lights necessitates a nuanced comparative analysis to discern their respective merits. While DRLs excel in bolstering visibility during daylight hours, thereby reducing the incidence of daytime collisions, Position Lights cater to the safety needs of motorists amidst low-light environments. Modern automotive design often integrates both systems harmoniously to ensure comprehensive visibility and safety across diverse driving conditions. Moreover, scholarly discourse surrounding these lighting systems extends beyond subjective preferences, delving into empirical assessments of their efficacy in averting road accidents and advancing automotive engineering principles.
In summary, the delineation of roles and benefits associated with DRLs and Position Lights underscores their academic significance within the field of automotive engineering and safety. A nuanced understanding of these lighting systems is imperative for engineering vehicles that prioritize road safety and visibility. As the automotive landscape continues to evolve, further research endeavors are warranted to optimize the efficacy and efficiency of DRLs and Position Lights, thereby fostering enhanced road safety standards on a global scale.
Headlights often go unnoticed until a bulb has burned out. But paying a little extra attention to your car’s lights could help improve visibility on your next nighttime drive. It could also mean the difference between arriving safely at your destination and being involved in a costly accident.
For most drivers, headlights are not typically top-of-mind, but according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), high-quality headlights are crucial for avoiding hazards on the road. This underscores the important relationship between nighttime visibility and safe driving. And one of the best ways to improve visibility is through proper use of your vehicle’s headlights.
How often do you think about your headlights while you are driving?
This statement is obvious, but it’s still worth noting: your headlights can only help you improve visibility when they’re turned on.
Remembering to turn on your headlights isn’t usually an issue after dark. But it can easily slip your mind at dawn and dusk, when visibility is decreased but it’s not quite fully dark. All states require that your car’s headlights are used between sunset and sunrise. But it’s also wise to turn them on during twilight hours.
Headlight use is also mandated during low-visibility conditions. To help in those situations, read our related posts:
To ensure you’re always driving with enough light, modern cars have started implementing automatic headlights and daytime running lights. Automatic headlights will turn on when a sensor detects that it’s getting dark outside. Daytime running lights, on the other hand, stay on whenever your car is running. These low-intensity lights are an added safety feature and have been proven to reduce daytime collisions, according to the IIHS.
Your vehicle’s high-beam headlights (also known as “brights”) are a great tool to use in low-visibility situations. However, the added light they emit can also be blinding to oncoming traffic.
Here's what to know:
When it comes to the task of illuminating the road ahead, not all headlights are created equal. Today, most headlights fall into one of the following categories:
If you’re having trouble seeing at night, the problem may not be the headlight bulbs. Instead, it may be your vehicle’s headlight housing.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit carri light.
Your car’s headlights are made from a polycarbonate plastic. Unlike the glass used in older vehicles, this material is tough enough to withstand impact from rocks and debris without cracking. But over time, UV light can lead to oxidation of the plastic. The result is that your car’s headlights may appear hazy, cloudy or yellowed. Luckily, headlight oxidation can be quickly and easily repaired from the comfort of your own driveway.
To repair an oxidized headlight, you’ll need to remove a thin layer of plastic from your vehicle’s headlight housing. To get started, follow these simple steps:
As new car technologies evolve, you’ll find that more and more headlight options are available. If you’re shopping for a new vehicle, consider checking out these advanced safety options:
Read our related post on why it's helpful to talk to a local insurance agent before you buy a car.
If you’re in the market for a new car, you may also want to check out headlight ratings from the IIHS. By performing a variety of tests and assigning grades of good, acceptable, marginal or poor, these rankings let you know how a car’s headlights stack up against the competition.
At Erie Insurance, our promise is simple: to be there when you need us. We make it our mission to provide the protection and service you deserve so you can focus on the road ahead. To learn how to get the best protection for you and your vehicle,talk to your local ERIE agent for a free, no-obligation auto insurance quote.
We have discussed the effects on motorcycle safety and provide some data reports to show the importance of DRL. Now we’ll follow the topic and find out how we could do to choose an effective motorcycle daytime running light.
Main Types of Daytime Running Lights: The Positive Effect For Letting Drivers See
Studies conducted by a variety of traffic safety groups across the U.S. and Europe show that the use of headlights during the day can help prevent between 7 and 25 percent of all deadly daytime crashes. Most research indicates that the use of daytime running lights reduces accident rates by between 5 and 10 percent across the board.
LED motorcycle Daytime running light as an option in order to improve frontal motorcycle conspicuity in daylight seems to be the most practical and is the prime interest. There’re some main types of DRLs are currently in use:
Low beam headlights when start vehicle
Dimmed high beam headlights
Dedicated lights with a defined beam pattern and light intensity. (as below ref.)
Increased intensity yellow turn signals.
Ref.: Dedicated lights that are optimized for use as daytime running lights can be far more effective and energy-efficient than other options.
They are purpose-made, low-wattage. They do not need to be operated manually as they automatically activate when the engine is started and turn off when the engine stops.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/daytime-running-lights/daytime-running-lights
Dedicated Daytime Running Lights: The Positive Effect For Letting Drivers See
Thompson released a US study report in , regarded with the effectiveness of several types of DRL. It compared the collision rate of models built before and after DRLs became standard:
Effectiveness of DRLs (from Thompson )
DRL Type
Change in Collision rate
Dedicated DRL
-8.76%
Low beam headlight
-3.23%
Reduced-intensity low beam
-2.31%
Reduced-intensity high beam
-4.86%
Yellow turn signal
-12.4%
According to the above study data, we can find out that dedicated DRLs are nearly three times as effective as low beam headlights and bright turn signals are nearly four times as effective.
How To Choose An Effective LED Motorcycle Daytime Running Lights?
It is therefore important to refer that above information to take into account when considering DRLs for motorcycles.
Color
Motorcycle LED daytime running lights usually are bright white or yellow. Besides making others see, yellow daytime running light can be more effective in the poor condition of traffic, such as dusk, rain, etc. According to the Thompson study as above table, a dedicated DRL with yellow light seems a highly cost-effective DRL. Thus it is effective for preventing motorcycle accidents.
p.s. Australia still doesn’t permit yellow DRLs currently yet.
Size & Number:
Based on reports through many field testing and studies, motorcycles with DRLs are more conspicuous than motorcycles that do not have them.
In order to evaluate the relative conspicuity of several headlamps for motorcyclists, Donne conducted a field experiment depending on the frequency of which the motorcycle was detected and recognized.
The experiment was based on the notion of drivers fail to see motorcycles occasionally. Of course, the motorcycles were not equipped with any conspicuity aid.
From the analysis, it shows that motorcycles conspicuity was enhanced from 53.6% to 64.4% as a result. Specifications for DRLs were assessed, and it was confirmed that two lamps and lamps more than 180 mm diameter had more impact compared to single or smaller size lamps.
Ref.: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/#B32
Ref.: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/knowledge/vehicle/safety_design_needs/motorcycles_en
We can learn from the above info, the Dedicated DRL and yellow turn signals have the best effectiveness for reducing the collision rate!
Who Originally Make Quality Lights With Both DRL & Turn Signal For Motorcycles?
As a result, BRIGHTSTARTW releases the new DB6, which is a dedicated multi-function Aux. light. Furthermore, it is with TUV E-mark certificate:
Function A (currently exist): white driving light + amber turn signal
Function B (currently exist): white driving light + amber daytime running light
DARKBUSTER 6: https://brightstartw.com/product/motorcycle-led-indicator-e-mark-db-6/
We can also customize other function plans due to your special idea.
Conclusion:
The dedicated daytime running light has been found to have the greatest benefits for motorcyclists besides the fact that they can help make everyone safer, as they are the group that is difficult for other drivers to see.
So it would be best& necessary to have a pair of dedicated daytime running lights that make you to be seen by others.
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