Daytime running lights

All new cars and vans produced after 7 February 2011 will come equipped with daytime running lights.  Daytime running lights (DRL) will also be mandatory on new commercial vehicles and buses produced on or after August 2012.

Daytime running lights switch on automatically when the engine is started and improve the visibility of motor vehicles for other road users.

They also have a low energy consumption rate compared with existing 'dipped-beam' head lights.  In countries where DRL is already obligatory it has been hailed as a very positive development in the field of road safety.

The introduction of daytime running lights is part of the European Commission's programme to halve the number of road deaths on Europe's roads by setting higher standards for vehicle safety, improving the training of road users and increasing the enforcement of road rules.