[NEWS]
Video details 'Automatic Headlights On' Benefits
The Safer Roads Foundation praises ACEM's voluntary commitment on 'Automatic Headlights On' for its road safety benefits and recommends this feature to be enshrined in legislation.
The Safer Roads Foundation chose a video to support its arguments in favour of the mandatory adoption of Automatic Headlight On on all PTWs in EU legislation. This video has been made to highlight the danger of motorcyclists being killed of seriously injured due to a collision with another vehicle simply because of the driver was unaware of their presence on the road.
It underscores the critical importance of the 'Automatic Headlights On' (AHO) function for Powered Two-Wheelers (motorcycles, scooters, mopeds). AHO is a simple feature that will automatically light up the motorcycle’s headlamp when the ignition is turned on.
In more that 20 Member States motorcycles must turn their lights on at all times. This law does not apply to mopeds. AHO prevent riders from forgetting to switch on their headlamps, thus helping them to be clearly visible in traffic.
As studies show, there is considerably less chance of a motorcyclist being involved in an accident when driving with headlights on. Based on evidence in 2003, ACEM, the Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers in Europe reached a voluntary agreement with all its members to introduce ‘Automatic Headlights On’ for all new models of powered two-wheelers.
Today an increasing number of low-cost powered two-wheelers are being imported into Europe, and since they are not covered by the ACEM agreement they don’t have AHO. These non ACEM motorcycles without AHO are becoming increasingly popular and if the current trend continues their market share is likely to quickly rise.
This proliferation of low cost motorcycles on the streets of Europe by manufacturers not bound to the ACEM agreement on AHO means that unquestionably the lives of many vulnerable riders, particularly the young and inexperienced, are being put at an increased and unnecessary risk. And what’s more, because it is a voluntary agreement there is no incentive whatsoever for the low-cost manufacturers to ensure their products incorporate the same safety features.
The mandatory introduction of ‘Daytime Running Lights’ on new cars beginning in 2011 means that within a comparatively short period of time the majority of vehicles on EU roads will travel with DRLs on in the daytime, making PTWs not equipped with AHO even less conspicuous. The Safer Roads Foundation calls on the European Commission for AHO to be made mandatory on every powered two-wheeler.
Based in the United Kingdom, the Safer Roads Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the reduction of road casualties not just in the UK and Europe but in many other countries around the world. The SRF is affiliated to the European Transport Safety Council.
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