As the nights get longer and there is less sunshine in daytime hours, drivers struggle to see other vehicles and obstacles on the road. According to the NTSB, almost 50% of all fatal automobile crashes in the United States during 2023 occurred at night. That’s a significant statistic alone, but when you pair that with the 21% of overall crashes in hazardous weather, you want to do whatever you can to avoid joining those statistics. Installing custom automotive lighting increases visibility for both you and others. Plus, these upgrades enhance the look of your vehicle.
Automotive lighting upgrades that make a difference
When it comes to increased safety, not all automotive lighting upgrades are created equal. Though it might look cool, undercarriage lighting won’t help you see through the swirling snow. And door-mounted lights aren’t lighting the way. However, specialty upgrades to headlights, taillights, fog lights or brake lights can be lifesavers for nighttime or bad-weather driving.
Adding custom taillights with specialty brake lights and blinkers makes your vehicle really grab the attention of those trailing you. Brighter headlights and fog lights can improve your visibility at night and in severe weather. Upgrading your headlights from factory lights to LED or HID can substantially improve visibility. If you’re only choosing one custom lighting upgrade for safety, better headlights are the best choice.
Halogen vs. LED headlights for winter driving
As they have for decades, most new vehicles roll out of the factory with halogen bulb headlights. Those lights do an adequate job of lighting your way in most situations, but now drivers have better options. The three most popular headlight bulbs are halogen, LED and HID. Let’s see how they stack up against one another.
| Halogen Headlights | LED Headlights | HID Headlights |
| Consumes 56.7 watts of power | Consumes an avg. 40 watts of power | Consumes 49.1 watts of power |
| Heats to 200-400 degrees | Heats to 165 degrees | Heats to 500 degrees |
| 700 – 1,200 lumens | Up to 9,000 lumens | Up to 5,600 lumens |
| Factory install for most cars | Luxury car factory install; custom for others | Custom install |
| 3-6 years lifespan | Up to 33 years lifespan (most brands in the 15-20 year range) | 13 years lifespan |
Source: Bulb Facts
Although HID headlights are an improvement over halogen in many ways, the industry leaders for upgrades are LED, so let’s take a closer look at how they compare directly to halogen.
LED headlights are up to 90% more efficient than halogen bulbs. Their extended lifetime allows headlight manufacturers to protect the bulb by encasing it entirely, which lessens the chance of breaking. The real difference-maker for winter and hazardous-weather driving is the brightness of the LED headlights, which produce up to 9,000 lumens compared to the typical 700 lumens of halogen bulbs.
With LED headlights, the road ahead of your vehicle will be bright, allowing you to see obstacles in plenty of time to evade them. The beam also cuts through the worst of snow and rain, ensuring other drivers can’t miss seeing your headlights approaching.
Let the experts install your new LED headlights
One thing to remember when replacing your headlights with specialty LED headlights, while other drivers can see you better, improper installation can cause your brighter headlights to blind other drivers, even with low beams. Because this presents a hazard, it’s important to take your car to experts for installation.
Tint World franchises install thousands of headlight upgrades each year. They know how to position the lights to give drivers maximum visibility without blinding oncoming traffic. Installation is quick, so find a nearby location today and make an appointment for professional LED headlight installation for winter driving safety.
