The Swedish chain of inspection centers Bilprovningen is now sounding the alarm because inspectors find the same defect on every fourth car.
The Danish vehicle inspection company Bilprovningen has found the same defect in every fourth car it has inspected. The defect, which is often overlooked by drivers, can have serious consequences for both drivers and other road users.
Inspectors at Bilprovningen have found that every fourth car is driven with incorrectly adjusted lights. This is primarily due to a lack of checking of the headlights.
Something that can result in dazzling other road users and an increased risk of accidents. A study conducted by Bilprovningen and Synoptik shows that two out of three drivers only check their car's lighting every six months or less.
– When so many people have non-functioning or incorrectly adjusted lights on their cars, it is an unnecessarily high risk in traffic. It should be a habit to check the lights regularly, says Per-Anders Blommefors, head of inspection at Bilprovningen.
The 2024 vision inspection also shows that 70 percent of all drivers experience problems driving in the dark.
This is confirmed by Awet Tesfamariam, clinical manager at Synoptik.
– The eye loses parts of its detailed vision in the dark. In addition, it is more difficult to distinguish colors when it is dark. Something that becomes even more difficult in, for example, rain and snow.
Fredrik Svahn, an expert at Osram, points out that glare is often caused by faults in the car's headlights.
– When two cars are in a collision, it's like a power struggle between the headlights. If you have poor low beam, you can feel dazzled.
In 2023, the owners of over a million cars were ordered to have lighting faults fixed. By checking the lights regularly, you can help increase road safety. Especially during the dark winter months.
Traffic safety expert Jeanette Jedbäck Hindenburg emphasizes the importance of correct use of lights, as incorrect lighting is one of the biggest dangers in traffic.
– That's often where you're surprised to find an animal standing in the road. The darkness is never as dense as behind an oncoming car, even if I have a weak light.
Earlier this year, Boosted reported that low light isn't the only problem. Bright light – especially from LED headlights – is causing 8 out of 10 drivers to crash. Read more about it here .
How to ensure that your car has the correct lights
- High beam and low beam: Check that both high beam and low beam are working.
- Position lights: Check that the front position lights (white or yellow) and rear lights (red) are working and bright enough.
- Turn signals: Check that all turn signals (orange) are working. Press the hazard warning flasher button and you can control all lights at the same time.
- Brake lights: Check that all brake light bulbs are working. Don't forget the additional brake light, which is common on newer cars.
- Reflectors: Check that the car's rear reflectors (rods) are present and undamaged.
- Visual acuity: Take a free vision test on a vision computer at the optometrist every two years to make sure you have safe vision for driving.
- Traffic glasses: If you wear glasses, there are special traffic glasses that reduce glare and provide increased contrast. They also minimize reflections in the glass from, for example, car headlights.
