I have to address a pet peeve today – the use of headlights. Apparently some folks think as long as it’s daylight, headlights are either optional or unnecessary. Well, they’re wrong.

Headlights have two purposes, and both should seem obvious. They allow you to see so you can drive after dark, and they allow other drivers to see you. Obviously, this applies in the dark. The thing is it also applies to certain daylight driving conditions as well.

While being able to see where you’re driving is extremely important, many people never consider the fact that it is equally important for other drivers to be able to see them. A simple flip of the headlight switch can go a long way toward preventing accidents.

Driving to work this morning, it was not only misting rain but it was also very foggy. Visibility, as far as seeing the road, wasn’t really an issue, but seeing other cars was very difficult. The cars with their headlights on were no trouble to see; the cars without were another matter. I almost pulled out in front of a car because the driver didn’t have the headlights on, making it difficult to see the car until it was right upon where I was about to pull onto the road.

Being worried about forgetting to turn off the headlights should not be a concern. Many new vehicles will automatically shut them off after a particular amount of time or when the engine is shut off, and the older ones have that lovely ding-ding-ding to remind you that the headlights are on.

It only takes a small amount of effort to turn on the headlights. On mornings or evenings when it’s daylight but rainy or foggy, take the two seconds it will take and turn the headlights on. Sometimes, even if it’s the middle of the day and even if it’s not rainy or foggy, you might still need the headlights. If it’s just a dreary day, that kind of day when you’d rather be snuggled under a blanket in the recliner than driving anyway, use the headlights.

Seeing where you’re going when you’re driving is only half the battle. The other drivers on the road need to be able to see you as well. Sometimes it only take two seconds to take an action that could prevent an accident or save your life, and the thing is, you’ll never know how many times an accident has been prevented because you turned on your headlights.