Hazy lenses, dim roads
If your headlights look cloudy, the light behind them is being scattered instead of thrown down the road. You notice it most on a dark morning commute up Highway 99 or I-5, or on country roads out past Sheldon and Wilton where there aren’t many streetlights.
Other drivers notice too. Hazy lenses spread light in odd directions, which can mean more glare for oncoming traffic and a dimmer view for you.
Winter makes it worse. Short days and rainy evenings mean more time driving in the dark, and wet roads soak up light. Clear lenses help your headlights do their job when you need them most.
Why plastic headlights turn yellow
Most headlights today are plastic. They leave the factory with a thin protective coat. Years of sun break that coat down, and the plastic underneath starts to yellow and haze. Road grit, dust and harsh brushes add fine scratches on top.
Elk Grove’s long, sunny summers speed that up. Cars parked in a driveway all day, or in an open lot at work, take sun on the headlights for hours. That’s why even a family SUV that’s only a few years old can already have dull lenses.
You can check yours in a minute. Look at the headlights from the side in daylight. If they look yellow, frosted or milky next to clear glass on the car, they’re a good candidate for restoration.
Dust plays a part too. Trucks and cars that drive farm roads pick up a fine grit that gets wiped across the lenses every time they’re cleaned with a dry rag.