Replace Lighting Equipment In Spring

See Better in Rain

Look around you. See the green grass, flourishing plants, and budding trees? Spring is a sign of rebirth, and we get to enjoy it for three months, butof course, it comes with a side of [cold] rain. While the rainy season creates beautiful things, it also comes with challenges – especially for drivers. Therefore, we are encouraging truck drivers to inspect truck lights and other lighting equipment to ensure safe travels this season. Here is what you need to know about trucking lights and the spring season.

Truck Accidents in Rain

Spring brings heavy windstorms, rain, fog, and thunderstorms across land, and when these weather disruptions occur, heavy-duty trucks are at risk of veering out of lanes and hydroplaning on wet surfaces. These accidents happen because of reduced visibility and traveling at higher than recommended speeds just to "get out of the storm." What's worse, semi-trucks are often neutral colors and are hard to see in heavy rain and fog. Since drivers are responsible for the operations of their own vehicles, it is recommended that they help themselves and other drivers see their big rigs in the rain to avoid traffic accidents.

Fawn Births

When we mentioned rebirth earlier, we weren't just talking about those vibrant flowers. Baby deer (fawns) are born between April and June and stay close to their parents for the first year of their lives. Drivers will need to exercise caution when driving at night as white-tailed deer jump out in search of food along roadways, local farms, and residential areas – and when there is one deer, more often follow.

Types Of Truck Lights

The truck lights that are most used on semi-trucks are LED or halogen lights although incandescent (traditional) lighting is still used on older commercial trucks. Both LED lights and halogen lights are appealing to drivers for different reasons and only individual drivers can determine which type of lighting equipment is best for their vehicle.

LED lights are a great choice for drivers to see a large scope of land from side to side and running wildlife. This type of lighting produces optics that are 10 times longer lasting than halogen lights, produce less heat, and consume less electricity. And they are bright - so bright that they can be a distraction to other drivers, as a downside. While drivers can cruise the open road on lights with some burnt-out diodes, it is recommended that they replace LED headlights on trucks as soon as possible to avoid costly fines.

Halogen lights have a gentle glow resembling traditional lighting at times and aren't as much of an eyesore as LED lights. These lights typically last 500 hours and are great for drivers to see what is in front of them. The downside is that this type of lighting does not offer the side-to-side views that LED lights can offer, and they get foggy over time due to weather exposure.

Whatever you decide, replacing lighting equipment is always recommended if lights are showing signs of dim or fog.

Replacement Lights on Trucks

Grote, Hella and Truck Lite are all experts in headlights and carry a full catalog of sealed headlights. Now that spring is here, it's time to inspect those headlights and be ready to tackle the storms of the season with new replacement lights. #SpringMaintenanceTips.