Is yellow light or white light better on the road?
Most, if not all, of you must have pondered upon this question before. While some drivers are confident that yellow light is the only way to go, others feel that white lights are better when driving in dark surroundings. Which is better? Let’s find out!
Yellow Lights
The first ever invested headlights were powered by acetylene lamps, which produced a yellow light used in most cars today. Since then, with the advent of the electric light, yellow lights had become a standard issue.
According to research, yellow light was safe because it was conspicuous but not startling. The best feature of yellow lights is that it is an all-weather light. Yellow lights work better in rain, fog and snow compared to white or blue lights.
However, the usage of yellow light has dwindled even though it is more advantageous in wet or foggy conditions. It is proven to be not as effective under normal conditions. While most countries permitted the use of white and yellow lights, yellow lights are gradually falling out of popularity.
White Lights
Today, white lights are the most popular colour for the headlights. In many countries, white lights have been enforced to be used in place of yellow lights as headlights for cars. For instance, the European regulations require all new vehicles to be manufactured with white headlights instead of yellow lights.
White light comes with several advantages that are superior over yellow lights. First of all, white lights mimic the appearance and effect of sunlight, thus giving it a more natural look and improves visibility. Second of all, white light does not use any filters, making it brighter than yellow lights. Last but not least, white lights are better for driving in most conditions. Nowadays, many claimed that yellow light has no significant advantage over white in rainy or foggy conditions.
In a nutshell
Yellow lights lost popularity as headlights in the present. While yellow light improves visibility in wet or foggy conditions, it is said to be harder to see with yellow lights in clear conditions. As such, many cars now use yellow lights as fog lights only. For headlights, the ideal colour is said to be pure white, while interior lighting could be either yellow or white. What do you think?