How driving without headlights on during wet weather can be dangerous to Aussie drivers

A picture of a driver travelling in wet and foggy conditions without headlights on has sparked anger in many Aussie motorists.

New South Wales has been battered by severe weather in recent days, with heavy rainfall making for poor visibility while driving.

One fed up driver shared a photo on Reddit of a car which was nearly impossible to see in the side-mirror because it didn’t have any lights on.

Due to the condensation on the driver’s mirror amid the heavy rainfall, the car in the lane beside them was nearly impossible to make out.

One fed up driver shared a photo on Reddit of a car which was nearly impossible to see in the side-mirror because it didn’t have any lights on

‘PSA: turn your f**king headlights on when you drive,’ the Reddit user wrote.

The photo was taken by a member of the Lincoln Police Force in the US, but was shared into a Sydney Reddit thread amid the wild weather seen in the city this week.

Fellow Reddit users agreed and said everyone should switch their lights on while driving, no matter what time of day.

‘Should be a finable offence. So many oblivious morons on the road these days,’ one wrote.

‘How oblivious must these people be? Like they must notice it is easier to see other cars and then they decide to keep their lights off,’ wrote another.

‘Most of the time I remember and realise that the conditions require it but I have found myself accidentally not realising or forgetting both in dark and rainy situations,’ one admitted.

In NSW there are currently no laws requiring drivers to have their headlights on except for during the hours between sunset and sunrise and if ‘there’s not enough daylight to see a person wearing dark clothing at a distance of 100m’.

Earlier 2GB Radio host Ray Hadley unleashed on those who don’t drive with lights on during the day, saying they should be fined.

‘I think I’m wasting my time saying keep your headlights on. I don’t know if you can make it an offence or not, but I think we need to tell people via the coppers, put your headlights on,’ he said last week. 

In NSW there are currently no laws requiring drivers to have their headlights on except for during the hours between sunset and sunrise and if ‘there’s not enough daylight to see a person wearing dark clothing at a distance of 100m’

Hadley said he was driving to Lake Macquarie last Tuesday to visit his grandchildren and ‘lost count’ of how many people were not only speeding but driving without their lights. 

‘At varying stages as I climbed the hill over the Hawkesbury Bridge, I could barely see 50metres in front of me,’ he said.

‘People were going past me like I was nailed to the fence. In the end I gave up, people going past me with no headlights, no tail lights, I lost count of how many. 

The radio host said conditions on the roads in NSW were ‘very, very dangerous’ and asked if there was more the government could be doing to ensuring people drive with their headlights on at all times.

The NSW Government encourages the use of headlights during the day, saying it improves the visibility of your vehicle, although it is not mandated.

‘Using your vehicle’s day running lights improves the likelihood of other road users seeing you,’ the government’s website reads.

‘If your vehicle is not fitted with day running lights, you can use your headlights on low beam.’ 

Peter Khoury from the NRMA earlier told Daily Mail Australia they agreed with Hadley’s stance on driving with headlights at all times. 

‘We support Ray Hadley’s call to drive with your lights on,’ he said. 

‘Make sure you’ve got your lights on in this weather, only drive if you have to, don’t drive in floodwaters, stay home.’ 

Mr Khoury didn’t go as far as saying lights should be mandated, but said it’s always a safe practice.

‘In terms of having people fined, police right now have a multitude of issues they’re trying to deal with, so we don’t support that,’ he said.

‘But driving with your lights on is always a good idea.’  

Earlier 2GB Radio host Ray Hadley unleashed on those who don’t drive with lights on during the day, saying they should be fined

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk