Use of Headlamps (Hansard, 25 July 1968)

§ Mr. Marsh

Nearly 40 per cent. of road casualties occur after dark. Many could be avoided if drivers used more light.

In the report on the use of headlamps published last year, the Working Party on Lighting recommended that the use of headlamps after dark should be made compulsory on unlighted roads and in built up areas except on streets with very good lighting which should be specially marked by highway authorities. After most careful consideration of the report and comments on it, I have decided that I cannot accept this recommendation. I believe the system proposed would be too complicated, too difficult to enforce and involve too many more signs.

I have considered the simpler course of requiring all vehicles moving at night to use headlamps irrespective of the conditions of street lighting. From available information it is not possible to say how far gains to safety on poorly lit roads might be offset by losses on those with very good lighting. Only a full-scale experiment would be likely to show where the balance lies. I am not satisfied, given particularly the present poor aiming of the headlamps of many vehicles that an early experiment might not lead to an increase in casualties. I therefore plan to tackle this subject by stages. This autumn I propose to start with regulations which will make it obligatory for headlamps to be used on the move on 194W all roads where there is no street lighting. At the same time I propose to mount a campaign to encourage motorists to improve the aiming of their headlamps, and to use them more except on very well lit streets. I shall give further consideration to the possibility of a wider experiment next year in the light of what happens during this winter. We shall continue with our programme of better street lighting. For the longer-term we are looking into the possibility of developments which could improve the whole front lighting of motor vehicles and drastically reduce the dangers caused by glare at night.