The roadside assistance giant is encouraging drivers to check their vehicle for any blown bulbs, as last year faulty lights contributed to 168 road accidents in the UK, leading to four deaths and 33 serious injuries.
Cars with a defective driver-side front or back light – which the AA calls ‘one-eyed monsters' – can look like a motorbike from a distance making judging gaps and overtaking a real hazard, as well as increasing the risk of being hit following a breakdown.
Broken brake lights also give drivers behind less time to react when the traffic slows.
Mark Spowage, AA patrol of the year, says: “During the lighter summer months a lot of people don’t notice or even ignore problems with their car’s lights. When the nights suddenly get darker, that’s when more accidents happen.
“Checking your lights only takes seconds but could potentially save your life. Either you can get someone to help or reverse up to a wall to check the rears – not forgetting fog, reversing lights and indicators.
“The fault often occurs because of a blown bulb, or because corrosion has built up on the terminals. However, it could also indicate an electrical problem, so if in doubt, it is best to get it checked at a garage.
“If this is the case, it would be a good idea to combine it with a pre-winter service to help prevent other problems from arising.”
As well as an MOT failure, driving with a faulty or damaged light could get you stopped by the police and issued with a ‘defect rectification notice’. Failure to accept the notice or fix the fault could mean a fixed penalty notice, or three points on the driving licence plus a bigger fine if it goes to court.
Drivers who cause a fatal or serious accident due to faulty lights could face harsher penalties, including a possible prison sentence.
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