Safe Driving 101: Check Your Lights

Zipping down a scenic open highway in the middle of the day can be magical for any RV driver. Unfortunately, most of us won’t be able to drive every day beneath clear, sunny skies. Sometimes, the drive takes longer than we expect or heavy traffic has us driving into the night. Unfortunately, night driving is among the most unsafe times to drive. One of the best safe driving tips we give to help keep RV drivers safe is to ensure their rigs have properly operating lights.

Safe Driving 101: Checking Your RV Lights

Your vehicle’s headlights are the most important piece of equipment it has equipped to deliver safe nighttime driving. This is because with bright, properly functioning headlights, drivers can easily see upcoming road conditions. You can more clearly see obstructions, road changes, and other critical information. But this nighttime visibility depends upon your lights properly functioning.

If you haven’t had your headlights inspected recently, then consider doing so as soon as possible. Headlights should be checked at least once a year to ensure they are at the proper angle and are correctly working.

If your lights seem dim or “off,” then there are a couple of things to look at.

• Dirty plastic lenses. Over every exterior light on your RV is a protective plastic lens or case. This exterior plastic lens shields the inner lightbulbs from scratches and moisture damages. But in doing so, these important pieces of your car get grimy with mud, dirt, and other road debris. This can be cleaned off, but sometimes you will need to look at lens replacements. Long-term UV exposure can also cause a yellowing that will impede visibility.
• Check your battery. An older starter battery or battery that is not holding the charge it once was often will have dim lights. At Premier Coach Works, we can measure the voltage and overall working capacity of your RV’s battery.
• Ensure the headlights are properly angled. There is a proper angle for maximum visibility and if your headlamps are angled too high or low, then they will be unable to properly illuminate the road. If you don’t feel like you’re getting proper lighting, check with your mechanic about changing this angle.

Schedule Your Next RV Service Visit Today

Overdue for a maintenance check-up or notice your lights are dim? Contact our team today to schedule your RV’s maintenance visit.