The dangers of automotive defects relating to tires, airbags, or brakes are fairly apparent to most drivers. It's hard to overlook the possible consequences of a blow out, non-responsive airbag, or being unable to stop your vehicle. Even so, some potentially dangerous defects do not receive the attention that they deserve. Defective headlights, for example, can create an acutely increased risk for serious accidents. Driving at night always comes with a certain degree of risk, but headlight defects can take away a driver's ability to see what is waiting for them even a short distance down the road.

Headlight defects can take a few primary forms. The most noticeable incarnation is a completely failure of the vehicle's headlamps. While driving in a suburban or rural area where there are not many streetlights, headlight failure can mean that a pedestrian, child, cyclist, or other road hazard can easily disappear into the darkness. If the driver is lucky enough to see the obstacle before hitting it, swerving to avoid collision can cause wrecks, as well. A headlight can also be considered defective if its light beam is too bright or not correctly aligned. If a defect takes this form, the light can easily shine into the face of approaching drivers and leave them temporarily blinded. On a road with no center divider, this can result in catastrophic and deadly collisions when the blinded driver veers into oncoming traffic.

Defective headlights can leave victims of accidents with a number of consequences. Car accidents can be both physically painful and monetarily costly, as injuries, material damage, medical bills, expensive repairs, lawsuits, and even death are all real possibilities. Unintentionally hurting or killing another person during a wreck, even if vehicle defects are to blame, can take a very heavy toll on a person's emotions. If a driver is lucky and does not get in a wreck because of their defective headlights, the cost of replacing the lamps can still be high; over $1,000 in some cases.

We trust vehicle manufacturers to create a product that is safe and defect-free. When they violate this trust and behave in a negligent manner, they should be held responsible for the damages they cause. An experienced lawyer can help victims of accidents caused by defects explore their legal options and the possibility of receiving compensation.