Headlight Aiming and Safety

On 18/10/2021 / By David Jenkins

IN THIS ARTICLE: Proper headlight aiming adjustment is a necessary safety measure. Without proper alignment, you won’t get the full visibility while driving at night.

The main purpose of your vehicle’s headlights is to improve visibility on the road when driving under low-light conditions. However, headlights aren’t just a suggestion— their use is a necessity, required by law drivers during specific times of the day or under certain conditions.

For example, headlights should be used when:

Driving between sunset and sunrise.
Visibility is less than 100 metres

Other obligations of drivers include, not:

Using or fitting any light which dazzles another road user
Using high beams when an oncoming vehicle is within 200 metres
Using high beams when driving 200 metres or less behind another vehicle
Using fog lights for any conditions other than in fog, rain, or when conditions such as smoke or dust limit your vision

Newer vehicles

Newer vehicles often have daytime running lights fitted which are devices on the front of a vehicle, automatically switched on when the vehicle is moving forward.

Day time running lights are beneficial in preventing crashes by improving the visibility of your vehicle to other road users and pedestrians.

Your car’s headlights are an important safety device, and not all headlight types are the same.

For some time now, carmakers have been fitting powerful LED headlights to their higher end models, while their cheaper cars get fitted with much more standard illumination.

There is a growing trend of road users installing aftermarket LED headlamps. Installing such aftermarket LED bulbs into OEM housings designed for conventional halogen units results in dangerous glare for oncoming drivers. While LEDs can deliver more intense light at a higher end of the spectrum, most aftermarket units also create a hazardous condition.

As well as legal obligations of the driver pertaining to their use of headlights, there are similar obligations relating to their maintenance or replacement. You can get fined for non-spec headlamps, and for a good reason. In addition to the fine, you may be forced to demonstrate your roadworthiness.

Proper headlight adjustment is a necessary safety measure. Without proper alignment, you won’t get the full visibility while driving at night. Not only do misadjusted headlights illuminate the road ahead insufficiently, but they can also cause blinding of the eyes of oncoming drivers instead.

Therefore, proper aiming of headlights is necessary if you want to keep things safe while driving. Proper alignment is important when installing new headlights. Each headlight must be securely mounted and properly aimed so the beam pattern “cut-off line” complies with the regulations.

Headlight Align

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE HEADLIGHT AIMER IN AUSTRALIA!
AutoTest Headlight Align

The AutoTest Headlight Align is a professional quality beam aligner suitable for all kinds of headlamps (high, low, fog including XENON and LED lamps). It is supplied with assembly, operation, and calibration manuals and declaration of conformity.

FEATURES

Robust anti-tip base fitted with large castors for easy manoeuvring
Laser pointer for easy positioning of the unit
Digital lux meter and wide measuring window
Manual optic alignment visor for easy parallel alignment

AutoTest is Australian Made and Owned, and the only quality, locally-owned and accredited roadworthy equipment manufacturer in Australia. Our focus at AutoTest is on developing testing and diagnostic instruments. We invest in research and product development and our in-house product designers and engineers are consistently at the forefront of developments.

Accredited, roadworthy compliant testing products is our number one priority for all our automotive diagnostic products. Many of our products have NATA accreditation and are designed to Australian Standards and Design Rules, ensuring quality and accurate testing as well as passenger and vehicle safety.