What are Daytime Running Lights? Benefits & fleet safety

Daytime running lights or DRLs are low-intensity lights that improve vehicle visibility on the road by increasing the contrast between vehicles and the environment.

While some research shows DRLs could improve road safety, reducing everything from pedestrian accidents to head-on collisions. In “European Union countries, all cars and vans manufactured after 2011 must come equipped with daytime running lights. (1). Trucks and buses “followed in August 2012. Vehicles produced before don't have to be retrofitted” (2).

This article will look at what DRLs are, how they differ from regular headlights, their benefits, where they are mandated and how they impact fleet safety.

What are daytime running lights (DRL)?

DRLs are low-intensity lights on the front of vehicles that automatically turn on when a vehicle’s engine is started. 

The European Commission explains that “daytime running lights (DRLs) come on automatically whenever a vehicle's engine is started. They substantially increase the visibility of cars and other vehicles and they “consume just 25-30% of the energy needed to power a conventional dipped headlight” (3) and the benefits for safety are really relevant to mitigate the risk of accidents. 

While DRLs are a safety feature that typically cannot be turned off, particularly while the vehicle is in motion, some manufacturers offer a DRL off switch that allows the driver to turn them off.

Benefits of DRLs 

The primary benefit of DRLs is simple: increased contrast and visibility lead to fewer collisions, particularly for vehicles that are less noticeable during daylight, or when certain daytime weather conditions like glaring sun or cloudy skies impair visibility.

Studies have shown that DRLs can reduce the risk of accidents involving other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

According to a study by the Institute for Road Safety Research, “in-depth crash studies have shown that not having seen the other road user or having seen the other road user too late plays a role in 50% of the daytime crashes, and for intersection crashes this is even 80%” (4).

In depth, Meta-analyses of the effects of DRL use in cars show that DRL contributes substantially to reducing road crashes, car occupant and vulnerable road user injuries whatever the country's latitude (5). 

Further to this, “a reduction in multi-party crashes of between 8%-15% was found as a result of introducing mandatory laws on daytime use. A compilation of Norwegian meta-analysis of 25 studies that have evaluated DRL for cars and 16 studies that have evaluated DRL for motorcycles “found that DRL reduces the number of multi-party daytime crashes by 5-10 per cent” (6). 

Furthermore, a Dutch review found “that DRL reduced multi-party daytime crashes by around 12% and deaths and injured victims by 25% and 20%

 So, in summary,  the use of DRLs can help increase the safety of drivers and is very relevant to an organisation's safety policy. 

Find out how fleet management software is shaping fleet safety programmes, reducing accident costs and improving maintenance. 

Help boost fleet safety with a fleet management solution 

Fleet managers looking for other ways to help boost fleet safety may want to consider a fleet management solution that empowers them to develop and maintain effective safety programmes. Fleet management can help impact safety in several different ways:

• GPS tracking offers managers greater insight into driver behaviours like speeding, harsh braking, sudden acceleration and more. This information can be used to help fleet managers reduce these behaviours. In fact, according to the 2025 Verizon Fleet Technology Trends Report [LINK TK], 39% of respondents said GPS users improved driver safety habits and they were able to reduce accidents “moderately” or “considerably” by 46%.
• Maintenance programmes that offer preventative and predictive maintenance analytics and diagnostics help fleet managers keep vehicles operating as expected on the road. Also, those programmes that offer partner integrations to communicate more quickly with maintenance teams and fleet managers about vehicle statuses ease the maintenance process. 
• Companies using fleet management software saw a reduction in accident costs and insurance costs, underlining how this technology can help fleets drive a safer tomorrow. To learn more, book a demo with one of our specialists.

Sources:

• (1-2-3)European Commission. Mobility & Transport
• (4-5-6-7) Institute for Road Safety Research