Cyclopes on our roads — which are vehicles with one failed headlight — are presenting a danger according to road safety officer Noel Gibbons, who said that “sadly, it is far too evident that many motorists are not checking that both of their vehicle’s headlights are working correctly.”
Mr Gibbons said: “At the start of every journey, drivers should take 30 seconds to ensure that each headlight is working and adjusted correctly. The easiest way to do that is by looking for the headlights’ reflection on a window, or against a wall or fence, or switch on your lights and walk around your vehicle.
“Having a headlight out is dangerous in two ways: not only can the driver of the vehicle not see properly in an unlit road with only half the usual light available, but the defective headlight means that other road users will have difficulty spotting the vehicle properly, or in some cases, knowing even what it is.”
Sergeant Joe McKeanna of Castlebar Garda station said that cars with only one headlight working could easily be mistaken for a motorbike — a major danger when overtaking. And he added that “a vehicle with only one working head or tail light could be almost as dangerous as having no lights on.”
However changing a failed headlight bulb on a modern car may not be a quick and simple matter. “For some cars it means a visit to a dealer or follow directions on the vehicle’s manual. But drivers do need to check their headlight bulbs and to remember they can be committing an offence by not having correct lighting.”
