As we know, daytime running lights, as standard equipment, installed on almost all vehicles now. But for motorcycles, it is still an option. Today, let’s talk about the use of daytime running lights on motorcycles.
What Is The Daytime Running Light?
“Daytime running light/lamp” means a lamp facing in a forward direction used to make the vehicle more easily visible when driving during daytime [1].
DARKBUSTER 6: https://brightstartw.com/product/motorcycle-led-indicator-e-mark-db-6/
Motorcycle Daytime Running Light can help with the problem of motorcycles are completely dark that causing risks of accidents. And also intend to help in other circumstances, like rain, dust, and fog.
The use of motorcycle daytime running light is compulsory in several EU Member States (e.g. Austria, Germany, Belgium, France, Spain, and Portugal), some states of the US and Canada.
Why DRLs Are Required Mandatory In So Many Countries?
Motorcycle is the most dangerous mode of transportation. More than 6500 motorists die each year in Europe. And the risk of death for motorcyclists is 20 times that of car occupants.
Some reports defined that more than 50% of motorcycle crashes took place during day time. Based on the analysis of fatal two-vehicle crashes between passenger vehicles and motorcycle [2]. We usually use the term of conspicuity to describe a capacity. And the capacity is for other road users to see and be aware of the presence of a motorcycle. We have got some reports on the motorcycle crash, which provide evidence. That the motorcycles were hardly seen by other vehicle drivers, especially during heavy traffic and complex visual field.
In Australia, motorcycle riders make up about 17% of vehicle fatalities. About two-thirds of Australian motorcycle accidents occur in daylight and 65% involve more than one vehicle. there’s a report that in 21% of daytime multi-vehicle collisions the driver of the other vehicle claims to have not seen the motorcycle (Hendtlass 1992)
More recently, an in-depth study of motorcycle crashes in Europe found that in 37% of all cases the primary contributing factor was the failure of another vehicle operator to detect the motorcycle (ACEM 2004). 73% of accidents occurred in daylight and a further 8% at dawn or dusk.
Refer to: https://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov/Proceedings/19/05-0178-W.pdf
In comparison to other motorized vehicles, motorcycles (2 wheelers) are not easy to see. And also have poor visibility in the daytime. Because of their size and shape. Of course, the inherent instability is another main factor. But our key point today is what we could do to improve the visibility of motorcycles. And making them to see and be seen well than before.
Conclusion
Since motorcyclists by far have the highest risk of all road users, a European vehicle standard of DRL for motorcycles is recommended, in order to decrease the fatalities and injured accidents.
Experts say that the dedicated daytime running light have been found to have the greatest benefits for motorcyclists besides the fact that they can help make everyone safer, as they are the group which is notoriously difficult for other drivers to see.
So it would be best & necessary to have a pair of dedicated daytime running lights that make you to be seen by others.
