What do you know about car headlights?

True or false: Projector style headlights are safer than standard crystal headlights.

True. Because standard crystal headlights depend on reflection in order to work, they can be more blinding to oncoming drivers than the projector style headlight, which is designed to give off evenly distributed light. Different bulbs can also be used with projector style headlights in order to find the optimal level of light for your driving visibility and comfort.

True or false: Headlights stay at the same brightness until they burn out.

False. While the bulb itself may give off the same amount of light, the headlight housing deteriorates slowly with exposure to UV light as well as flying dust and grit from the roads. This causes the housing to become scratched, yellowed and clouded, which prevents light from shining through clearly, dulling your headlights.

True or false: You can’t clean and restore headlights yourself.

False. There are simple do-it-yourself kits you can purchase to restore your headlights. They include increasingly fine sandpapers to file down the scratches and damage and remove the old clear coating. Then, you apply a new wax coating to seal the results, and let it dry. Make sure to tape around the headlight before beginning to protect your vehicle’s paint.

True or false: You can refinish headlights with toothpaste.

True, partly. Because toothpaste is gently abrasive, it works like a fine sandpaper to file down the buildup and damage on the outside of the headlight housing. However, without the variety of grains of sandpaper and the final sealing coat, these results are not as thorough or long-lasting as doing it with a kit made for the job. Also, plain toothpaste must be used to avoid further scratching of the headlight housing.

True or false: Headlights can become misaligned.

True. A vehicle’s headlights can become misaligned over time or due to some shock or impact. If this is the case, the lights won’t shine in the proper direction and can be a safety hazard. You will need to take your vehicle to a professional to ensure that the lights are properly aligned and pointing in the correct direction in order to best illuminate the road while not blinding oncoming drivers.