In fact, if you are out cruising at night, the odds are good that you can’t see anywhere near as well—or as far—as you could when your car was new. Why? Over time, your headlights get dull and cloudy, a condition somewhat akin to human cataracts. This cloudiness, caused by degradation from the sun’s bright rays, reduces and diffuses the light going through the headlight lens. This makes it difficult to see when driving in the dark and creates an unsafe situation for many Americans, most of whom don’t even realize it’s happened. In addition, the buildup actually creates an unusual beam pattern that can be a major distraction for oncoming traffic.

Most likely, if your car is five years old or older, the headlights are already showing visible signs of weathering and hazing. Folks who live in warm climates are likely to experience the problem much sooner.

So take a step outside and look at your headlights. If they are hazy or cloudy, there’s a good chance your visibility is being greatly compromised. But there is a solution—and it’s a simple one. A headlight restoration kit, such as the one offered by Sylvania, takes only about 30 minutes per lens to restore them. You do not need to be a mechanic. You don’t even need to be mechanical. If you can wash your car, you can clean and restore your headlights.

Before heading outside on a hot day, you probably slather on some sunscreen and throw on a pair of shades to protect your skin and eyes from too much exposure. The headlight restoration kit does the same for your headlights with its unique UV Block Clear Coat, a specially formulated coating designed to extend the life of your headlight lenses. Plus, it takes years of degradation away, provides up to three times more light on the road and, most importantly, provides you with greater visibility and a safer nighttime driving experience. Certainly a case where a little elbow grease goes a long way.

For more information on restoring your headlights, visit www.sylvania.com/auto.