Car Insurance
See and be seen on the roads
Mon, 06 Mar 2006
A new campaign to reduce accidents on the roads by making sure drivers light up has been launched.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), celebrating its 50th anniversary, is urging drivers to make a small change and put their dipped headlights on in poor visibility.
An IAM spokesman said: "If visibility deteriorates for any reason - not just darkness, but that familiar winter drizzle - you shouldn't hesitate to put your dipped headlights on.
"A good rule of thumb is to make a point of turning on your headlights whenever you need to use your windscreen wipers."
Using your lights not only allows you to see more clearly but also be seen by other drivers.
The spokesman added: "What you can see is not the whole story: you should aim to see and be seen.
"Other road users may not have eyesight as good as yours. And in gloomy conditions, you need to look particularly carefully in your mirrors before changing lanes. It may be that the driver who hasn't 'lit up' is attempting to overtake you."
A possible reason for the reluctance to use dipped headlights could be that cars 30 or 40 years ago often had only basic electronics, so having too many electrical appliances on could prevent the battery charging and so lead to starting problems.
However, modern cars do not suffer such problems.
Being seen and avoiding an accident will help to keep car insurance premiums low, along with shopping round for a good policy, and save you cash.
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