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Re: Do DRLs Really Work? The Truth Is Inside.



On 14 Oct 1995, Bob Morrow wrote:

> Those old, small-scale US studies remind me of the study for 
> the center brake light in the late 70's/early 80's.  They 
> put them on fleets and found the accident rate went down 
> considerably.  So they mandated them, expecting a 50% reduction 
> in rear-end accidents.  Now that everyone has them (or almost), 
> the reduction has been found to be on the order of 5%.  
> 
> Why?  I don't know, but I surmise that the "shock effect" of 
> the once-unusual center brake light has worn off.  When a few 
> cars have it, they stand out, when everyone has it, who 
> notices?  I think the same thing will happen with DRLs.  I 
> believe the only reason GM is foisting DRLs on us is to develop 
> common car lines for North America since Canada has them and we 
> don't, forcing them to make two versions of an otherwise 
> identical car.  IOW, their motive is financial, not safety, 
> though the "safety" provides a nice cover.

The bottom line is the drivers don't pay attention at all. No matter how 
much technology can we make our cars more visible, the drivers will 
continue to smash into each other. The insurance carriers blamed 80 per 
cent of accidents on inattentiveness. Don't you wonder why the fire 
brigades are painted vomit greenish yellow? Don't you wonder why the 
ambulances have millions of strobe lights, and some people still don't 
notice them? My neighbour who is a paramedic told me that many drivers 
take longer to notice the ambulances and move out of the way.

I assume that NHTSA is very relucant about rubber stamping the DRLs as 
mandate is that it had been critised in the 1970s about side running 
lights, dim sealed beam headlamps, ill-fated seat belt interlocking design, 
and the third brake light in 1986 afterwards. I think NHTSA is not taking any 
more chances with visibility mandate; it is easier to mandate the devices 
to protect the drivers and passengers from injuries in collision as the 
idiots will always smash into each other.

 Mr. Cc



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