There has been a horrible two-pickup head on crash on the highway from Edmonton to Fort McMurray killing seven people and two more accidents with semi-trailers in .C. this year, with multiple deaths in both since January.

Let’s try and stop the careenage. I drive on our highways a lot, and am seeing that a large number of newer vehicles are disconnecting their daytime driving lights, making for very dangerous driving conditions in the rain, snow or when passing on two-lane highways.

This disconnecting of driving lights should be stopped. This is a federal law for safe driving in Canada.

Daytime running lamps, 4.08. A motor vehicle may be equipped with daytime running lamps, mounted on the front of the vehicle at a height of not less than 30 cm and not more than 2.11 m that comply with the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada).

Auxiliary driving lamps, 4.09 (1). A motor vehicle may be equipped with two auxiliary driving lamps, mounted on the front of the vehicle at a height of not less than 40 cm and not more than 1.06 m, that are capable of displaying only white light.

(2) An auxiliary driving lamp must be directed so that the high intensity portion of the beam is, at a distance of 8 m from the lamp, at least 12 cm below the height of the lamp and, at a distance of 25 m from the lamp, not higher than 1.06 m from the road surface.

(3) An auxiliary driving lamp must operate so that it is illuminated only when the upper beam of a multiple beam headlamp is illuminated.

The owners should be made to reinstall the driving light as to manufacture recommendations. This should Include all of the big trucks as well — we see many of these truckers driving with no light at all.

The drivers think having the driving lights on are draining their batteries of power when, in fact, the vehicles are now running on the alternator and not the battery. The battery is storage only for starting the vehicle.

Doctors up north petitioned for many years to have daytime driving lights for safer driving back in the 1970s. My 2005 Chrysler has lights that cannot be disconnected and the headlights come on when the windshield wipers are on in the rain or snowing conditions.

This is safer when it is raining; now both head and taillights are on for all traffic to see. This should be mandatory on vehicles.

I was a licensed automotive and heavy-duty mechanic and motor vehicle inspector.

FRANK LANG

Kamloops