# Driving Without Headlights On **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [September 29, 2019, 2:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726 "2019-09-29T02:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 12:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/21 "2019-09-30T12:32:50Z")
> [@davepsinbox\_157004](#): > > The Mrs. turns the headlights on day or night. That’s actually what I do too, never had a problem forgetting them at night! Also, it increases your visibility to other cars even during the day, so win-win ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 12:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/22 "2019-09-30T12:33:53Z")
> [@Robert\_Gift](#): > > What is the purpose of having headlights on withouthe tailights and amber lights on These are called daytime running lights. Mandatory in Canada, all GM cars and many others. Supposedly improves safety but it causes people to fail to turn their lights on at night. They see lights at the front and proceed with no tail lights or markers. That is why more cars have automatic lights. ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/23 "2019-09-30T14:03:53Z")
Where I question the logic of whoever invented the thing and approved it for the road use is that by simple logic it was a totally predictable outcome of people not paying attention and not turning the lights properly. Now it entered the arms race to add automatic lights, which are not exactly perfect, but more or less plug the hole in the original flawed decision made… at additional expense to owners. At the point where cars have a “driver assist” technology and is equipped not only with a light sensor, but with a frontal camera too, finally it works more or less OK per my assessment. I had auto-lights-control in MY 2006, 2012 and these were quite rough on their on/off decision. Once MY 2019 had camera added, I can live with it now 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 2:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/24 "2019-09-30T14:06:54Z")
> [@davepsinbox\_157004](#): > > I do a fair amount of driving at night and I’ll never know how people manage to drive for any distance with no lights. In a city - it’s easy. There are so many lights all around you that you may not notice your lights aren’t on. I live on a dirt road and the closest street light is over a mile away. Very easy to tell if I don’t have my lights on at night. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 2:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/25 "2019-09-30T14:11:23Z")
> [@thegreendrag0n](#): > > I question the logic of whoever invented the thing and approved it for the road use Blame the Canadians. And blame GM for adopting it across all lines sold in the US. Credit GM for recognizing the “stupid” early on and adding automatic lights. I don’t like daytime running lights (DRLs) because motorcycles have had this feature for decades to make them more visible. When all cars do this, too, the motorcycles just become light-noise in a sea of light-noise. My GM truck has had the DRL fuse removed since I bought it 15 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/26 "2019-09-30T14:24:31Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > My GM truck has had the DRL fuse removed since I bought it 15 years ago So were all my Subarus 🙂 Once manufacturers started to make a dedicated DRM LEDs, I do not care anymore, as it does not look confusing as hell now. ---
**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/27 "2019-09-30T15:34:38Z")
Concerning DRLs. I live in Northern Michigan. During heavy snows or dense fog, it is absolutely unbelievable how many people drive without headlights on. Many, many times during the year I have to turn onto the highway with just a prayer that nobody is coming without their headlights on because visibility is so bad that I would be unknowingly pulling right out in front of them in an unavoidable collision. I’ve even started counting how many of these ignorant people there are on my way to and from work. There’s anywhere between 5 and 15 drivers in 13 miles driving with no lights in very low visibility in a 12 mile drive. If I flash them I get between 0 and 1 of them to turn on their lights in my rear view mirror. I know you can’t fix stupid, but all the time lights on may protect me and my family from these non thinkers. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_the\_cat1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/matt_the_cat1/32/17704_2.png) [@matt\_the\_cat1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/matt_the_cat1)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 4:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/28 "2019-09-30T16:24:05Z")
The driver is drunk and to intoxicate to turn head lights on!! ---
**Author:** ![vipergg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@vipergg](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vipergg)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/29 "2019-09-30T19:53:59Z")
They are called DRL’s . Thats the way they work only the fronts are lit which makes sense . ---
**Author:** ![vipergg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@vipergg](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vipergg)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/30 "2019-09-30T19:59:08Z")
Yeah you can turn them off in the Trailblazer so that is just part of my startup routine to turn those off . I cant tell you how many GM cars I see with at least 1 headlight burned out most likely fromn running the DRL’s all the time .With the advent of LED DRL that is not such a problem as they will most likely last the life of the car though Im sure the insurance companies dont like replacing those expensive modules in accidents . We all pay in the end . ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 8:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/31 "2019-09-30T20:06:02Z")
03 trailblazer, I let the car do the thinking. First car with automatic on and off headlights. I love it and don’t mess with it. I think I have done headlights 2 times and it is so easy, pull a rubber cap, twist out the assembly insert bulb and put back in. Replaced in pairs, first time wanted to cheap out and do one, 3 weeks later doing the other. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/32 "2019-09-30T21:13:01Z")
> [@thegreendrag0n](#): > > I’ve seen a number of such cars, and so far the only thing in common: they are American “big three” products. I own several/many GM cars, Chevrolets and Pontiacs. The oldest one is now 19 model-years old. Every single one has automatic headlights that always remain set to “automatic” and every single one of them always has either DRLs on (bright ambient lighting) or at the slightest diminishing daylight, such as dusk/dawn, night, or dark clouds, storm/rain/snow, tunnels, automatically switches to full lighting, front and rear and dashboard. These lights are awesome and work without fail, keeping everybody in our cars and other drivers safe. > [@vipergg](#): > > I cant tell you how many GM cars I see with at least 1 headlight burned out most likely fromn running the DRL’s all the time . I can’t even recall replacing a headlamp bulb in any of these GM cars. Did you know that by design, when these cars turn on headlamps only, to serve as DRLs, they are operating automatically at reduced power in order to extend headlamp life? Well, they do, and I’m here to tell you, it’s working! Did I mention, I can’t recall replacing any headlamps? Don’t blame the cars for ignorant drivers. As usual, some people don’t read their **owner manuals** and/or have no business behind a steering wheel. _ **Daytime Running Lamps** _ _(DRL)/Automatic Headlamp System_ _Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can_ _make it easier for others to see the_ _front of your vehicle during the day._ _Fully functional daytime running_ _lamps are required on all vehicles first sold in Canada._ _ **The DRL system makes the** _ _ **low-beam headlamps come on at a** _ _ **reduced brightness** when the_ _following conditions are met:_ _. The ignition is in the ON/RUN_ _position._ _. The exterior lamps control is_ _in AUTO._ _. The engine is running._ _When the DRL are on, the regular_ _headlamps, taillamps, sidemarker,_ _and other lamps are not on. The_ _instrument panel and cluster are_ _also not on._ _The headlamps automatically_ _change from DRL to the regular_ _headlamps depending on the_ _darkness of the surroundings. The_ _other lamps that come on with the_ _headlamps will also come on._ _When it is bright enough outside,_ _the headlamps go off and the DRL_ _come on._ _The regular headlamp system_ _should be turned on when needed._ _Do not cover the light sensor on top_ _of the instrument panel because it_ _works with the DRL._ _ **CSA** _ 🌴🕶🌴 ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2019, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/33 "2019-09-30T21:38:14Z")
> [@common\_sense\_answer](#): > > I own several/many GM cars, Chevrolets and Pontiacs. The oldest one is now 19 model-years old. > > Every single one has automatic headlights that always remain set to “automatic” and every single one of them I was talking about turning backup lights on for “courtesy lighting” as a quite bad decision, not about DRL vs. proper lighting ---
**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726/34 "2019-10-01T21:07:53Z")
> [@vipergg](#): > > I cant tell you how many GM cars I see with at least 1 headlight burned out most likely fromn running the DRL’s all the time Only partly true. An incandescent bulb burns out from the stress on the filament of turning it on and off. Turning it on and leaving it on doesn’t shorten its life. DRLs do get turned on and off more often and that can shorten the life of the bulb. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-without-headlights-on/149726.md?page=1)