Comment by margalabargala

Comment by margalabargala a day ago

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It could make sense. We don't know the numbers.

Let's say net X lives are saved each year because of automatic lights turning on.

Let's say net Y lives would be saved each year without automatic lights, via more effective detection of drunk drivers and stopping them before they kill someone.

Is X > Y? We don't know.

> Eliminatung DUI is not a matter of detection

There are a lot of avenues to decrease DUI, among which one is effective detection combined with enforcement.

smcleod a day ago

The EU has done lots of reach on road and car safety, there's lots of data out there - just perhaps not in the US as many American made cars have significantly lagged behind in terms of safety features.

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  • throwawat19r83 a day ago

    I don't know if it's an EU rule, but in my (European) country cars are required to have their lights on at all times, even during the day. The lights switch on automatically when you start the car

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    • chuckadams a day ago

      I'm baffled that daytime running lights are not mandatory on all models of all cars in 2025. My 13 year old Grand Caravan has them, though I suspect it's because it comes from the Daimler Chrysler era.

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      • potato3732842 5 hours ago

        I love to baselessly praise europe as much as the next idiot in the comments but most North American models that got DRLs before it was legally required got them because they've been required in Canada since the 90s

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    • froindt a day ago

      After I visited Iceland where it's mandatory, I liked the improved visibility so much I turn my lights on for every single trip. It was not a takeaway I was expecting to have from the trip.

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    • SideburnsOfDoom 18 hours ago

      It's a good idea in some places. An overcast winter's day in the North isn't that well lit by default.

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cma a day ago

There may be something like that that does make it counterintuitive. Usually those kind of Malcom Gladwell paradoxes end up overstated.

There would be other factors, like drunk people are probably safer with their lights on too. Lane keeping probably makes it harder to detect drunk drivers too but also may make them safer.

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