GM Asks Government To Mandate Daytime Lights.

General Motors Asked the U.S. government to mandate daytime running lights on all vehicles as an improvement in safety.

Daytime running lights are nothing more than normal headlights run at lower power. Studies have shown that drivers are less likely to hit something or someone when they have daytime running lights. The running lights will come on automatically when the ignition key is turned on.

GM already features daytime running lights on all its vehicles and has pushed since 1991 to expand their use throughout the industry. Daytime running lights are already mandatory in Canada.

GM's recent petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which cites its own data and government reports, shows it's serious about some change in regard to the lights. Though GM sets no specific time frame for the initiative, the company said the auto industry should be able to quickly comply with any changes.

"If NHTSA were to agree with our petition, we don't feel there would need to be a prolonged ramp-up period," said Mike Morrisey, a GM spokesman. The cost to automakers to equip daytime lights is about $20 to $40 per vehicle, GM said.

The practice of including daytime running lights on cars began in Northern Europe, with two of the most safety conscious automakers, Saab and Volvo.