Lighting specialist OSRAM has highlighted the importance of maintaining vehicle lighting with the NCT currently suspended. The company says that motorists have a duty of care to ensure vehicle roadworthiness, which means lights, indicators and reflectors must all be functioning correctly and be properly adjusted to prevent dazzling other road users.

OSRAM is strongly recommending changing bulbs in pairs and encouraging garages to take advantage of these profit opportunities. Both headlights are subject to the same stresses and will deteriorate at the same rate. Replacing just one failed bulb can result in an unbalanced or unpredictable headlight beam that can cause serious hazards for drivers.

OSRAM recommends that all lights on a vehicle should be checked regularly, including headlights, stop, tail and reversing bulbs. As part of its new campaign, “If it’s not bright, it’s not right”, it is advising motorists that headlights will degrade over time and, as a result, night time vision will be reduced. OSRAM tests show that a standard halogen bulb loses 30% of brightness after 500 hours of use, therefore it makes sense to be proactive when it comes to checking that all the lighting applications are functioning and operating as they should be on a vehicle. With the average age of vehicles increasing in the Ireland, it is essential that lights are regularly checked and replaced.

The campaign is also promoting the benefits of upgrading to a better vehicle bulb, one that is both brighter and whiter. This has proven to effectively reduce fatigue and assist vision on the road, keeping motorists and other members of the public safe.

For motorists living in more rural areas, where a number of roads are often unlit, upgraded lighting is particularly useful and so it is important that garages and workshops offer motorists a choice of upgrade lighting options.

To find the right bulb for any vehicle, OSRAM has expanded its bulb replacement guide at www.osram.co.uk/bulbfinder

For tips on keeping customers vehicle lighting roadworthy, please visit: www.osram.co.uk/changeinpairs