Taking Care of Those Worn-Out Headlights
It is essential for drivers to see as far as possible on the road in order to be ready and prepared for what the road throws at them. When darkness falls or bad weather conditions that reduce visibility, like in heavy snow or rain, you need to be able to rely heavily on your headlights.
The problem is that too many people neglect them unless a bulb literally burns out. Anyone who wears glasses will tell you that they need to be cleaned now and again. It's the same thing with headlight lenses.
Are You Part of the 30%?
Over time, lenses become dirty and worn out by the effects of bad weather, abrasives, and debris from the road. A CAA-Quebec survey conducted a few years ago in various public parking lots showed that 30% of vehicles had obvious opacity problems, and in nearly 15% of cases, those were very serious issues.
The same organization demonstrated that damaged headlight lenses can reduce the lighting capacity by 50% compared to headlights in good condition. Hence, a motorist driving at night at a speed rate of 50 km/h sees his reaction time cut by four seconds in an emergency.
Although headlight opacity problems are more prevalent in vehicles five years and older, age is still less of a factor than the type of material used in the lens. Glass headlights are more durable, while polycarbonate headlights are more easily damaged by abrasive and debris, but also sun and rain.
What Can You Do?
To restore the transparency and shine of your headlights, a simple and surprising trick you can do first is to wash them well, then polish them with toothpaste (make sure it does not contain any bleach or hydrogen peroxide). Apply a small amount and make small circular motions with a microfibre cloth or even a toothbrush before wiping with a dry cloth.
Various products are also available, but as with toothpaste, their results are not always lasting. The ideal solution is to contact a specialist that restores headlight lenses in a complete and durable way using a unique polishing technique.
