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Thousands of motorists are being caught driving in the dark with dodgy headlights, RAA has revealed.
Latest figures show police pulled over 3146 motorists last year for driving at night without effective headlights.
According to SAPOL figures, 378 of these offences resulted in fines worth a total $133,356, while the rest were cautions.
RAA Senior Manager Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain said motorists risked more than the current $357 fine for this road safety risk.
“Driving without properly functioning headlights can have potentially catastrophic consequences.”
“These police figures are a timely reminder for motorists to check their lights are functioning effectively, especially with daylight hours getting shorter and weather conditions deteriorating as we head into winter.’’
Last year 800 motorists were caught for using fog lights when they shouldn’t.
Mr Mountain reminded drivers that fog lights should be used in hazardous conditions like fog, dust or heavy rain, as they have a low wide beam that’s handy during poor visibility.
“However, don’t forget to switch them off when the weather clears up, as they can dazzle other drivers,’’ he said.
Mr Mountain also urged motorists to put on their headlights in periods of low visibility and not rely on the auto function to activate them.