OUTDATED HEADLIGHTS PUT DRIVERS & PEDS AT RISK

-> USA Today reports about 2,500 pedestrians are killed at night every year crossing the road, in many cases because drivers can't see them because their headlights don't shine brightly enough. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety concluded last year, that two-thirds of lighting packages available on 21 small SUV models deliver “poor” performance. In addition, 10 mid-size cars' and 7 pickup truck headlight systems were deemed as poor. Outdated federal rules have blocked automakers from introducing adaptive beam headlamps that automatically adjust to oncoming traffic to reduce glare and help drivers see better, even though the technology is legal and available in Europe and Japan. At the same time, sleek styling and manufacturing mistakes on currently available systems has led to poor performance on the road, including excessive glare and insufficient light on the pavement. https://usat.ly/2qE5iCP

from CenterLines, the e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking.