The RAC has provided a recommendation on how drivers can keep their headlights in tip top condition this winter. With December seeing the shortest day of the year, it is the most important month to ensure your lights are as clear as they can be.
Headlights over time can become less effective than when they were new. Whilst one option can be to replace the unit, the RAC (Royal Automobile Club) has said there is a much cheaper way to restore your lights to their former glory – toothpaste.
Although this might seem like a strange way to fix a car, the roadside recovery service says that applying toothpaste correctly can have effective results.
They explained: "Thanks to the abrasive elements of gritty toothpaste, it can gently wear away a surface layer of scrapes and scratches on your headlight casing."
The RAC then went onto explain how to apply toothpaste to your car. They recommend applying with “the gritty kind” of baking soda to the headlight lenses using a toothbrush until you see the toothpaste “turn dirty, or start to discolour”. Once this occurs they suggest leaving it to dry before gently washing it off “with a cloth and warm water”.
As well as toothpaste, the RAC also recommended the use of sandpaper, baking soda, white wine vinegar, or cola as cheap ways to effectively restore headlights.
However, should one not feel confident in embarking upon this automotive endeavour, the RAC also reassures drivers there’s nothing wrong with getting an expert to do it for them.
They added: “If you’re not so confident tackling cloudy headlights yourself or it seems too fiddly, you can always leave the job to a garage. The cost of restoration will vary depending on whether you need to replace a bulb, restore or replace the headlight unit, and the type of bulbs you need.”
This isn’t the first time the RAC has issued headlight related advice to drivers as the winter months continue to progress.
The RAC has also issued guidance on the use of fog lights, a device that drivers only use in poor visibility. In case drivers weren’t sure when they should use them, they posted a handy guide on Instagram with a caption that explained when the fog lights should be used.
They said: “You're probably using your fog lights wrong, and it could cost you £1,000. According to the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency), you should only switch your fog lights on when visibility drops below 100 metres.
"That's about the length of a football pitch. If you can see further than that, your fog lights should be off, but research by eBay has found that 60% of drivers use their fog lights at the wrong time, and some even turn them on when visibility is well over 300 metres."
"If you get caught, you can face up to a £1,000 fine, and three points on your licence. And, if that's not enough, almost a half of drivers admit that they use their full beam headlights when it gets dark, regardless of oncoming traffic, and other road users.
“Drivers not using their headlights properly is exactly why the RAC say that headlight glare is one of the biggest nighttime driving concerns, with one in four drivers telling us that they drive less at night due to other vehicles' headlights being too bright.”
