SYLVANIA Helps Consumers Stay Safer While Driving at Night

HILLSBORO, N.H., April 18 -- Most people don't spend much time thinking about their car's headlights. But just as seatbelts, properly inflated tires and regular tune-ups can help improve driver safety, so too can choosing the right headlights and maintaining them properly.

Visibility is crucial to staying safe on the road. Dim or misaligned headlights can make night driving dangerous. In fact, accidents are three times more likely to occur at night than during the day.

OSRAM SYLVANIA, the world leader in automotive lighting solutions, has introduced new headlight product packaging to make it easier for consumers to understand their automotive lighting options and make informed choices.

OSRAM SYLVANIA offers five families of automotive headlights: Standard, Xtravision(R), Cool Blue(R), SilverStar(R) and SilverStar(R) Ultra. On all of the new packaging, consumers will find larger part numbers and product information on the front and a chart on the back that compares the performance of the five products in terms of brightness, downroad visibility and sideroad visibility. That way, consumers can easily identify a bulb that fits the make and model of their car and choose the bulb with the features that are most important to them.

"Often customers don't realize that they have choices in automotive lighting," said Denise Champagne, marketing manager, OSRAM SYLVANIA. "By redesigning the packaging and the way we organize products in retail locations, it will be easier for consumers to identify what they need."

In addition to helping consumers select the best headlights to meet their needs, OSRAM SYLVANIA offers consumers ideas on how to maintain safety and visibility on the road:

-- Don't wait for your headlights to dim and burn out before you replace them. Most headlights will dim 20 percent over time. Evaluate them every year to ensure the best lighting performance.

-- Replace your headlights in pairs to avoid uneven illumination, which can diminish driving visibility.

-- Clean headlights help you see better at night and in poor weather conditions. Regular maintenance can also help prevent glare, which can be intensified by dust and dirt on the glass. Clean windshields are also important because a dirty windshield reduces vision.

-- Consider replacing standard halogen headlights with high performance headlights that produce a whiter light. These brighter bulbs help improve your visibility at night.

-- Ask your auto service person to check that your headlights are properly adjusted. Headlights can be knocked out of alignment by rough driving and, if not properly aimed, can be distracting to other drivers.

-- Take a moment to periodically check that all your car lights are in good working order. Ask a friend to turn on the headlights, brake lights and turn signals as you walk around the outside of the car.

-- Halogen lights are under pressure, and anything under pressure has the potential to explode if handled improperly. Always wear safety glasses and gloves when changing your lighting. Do not touch the glass directly with your hands. The oils from your skin, when on the glass, will cause the bulb to over heat, resulting in shorter life.

About OSRAM SYLVANIA Automotive Lighting

OSRAM SYLVANIA, together with OSRAM GmbH, is the world leader in automotive lighting for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the aftermarket. The company's global automotive lighting division has its principal North American operations in Hillsboro, N.H., with nearly 700 employees. In addition to TS 16949, this facility has also achieved ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications. Automotive Lighting designs, develops, manufactures and markets state-of-the-art automotive light sources, including auxiliary, advanced halogen, LED and high-intensity discharge lighting for interior, exterior and forward lighting applications. More than 400 lamp types are produced for cars, trucks, and electronics in facilities throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Automotive applications for OEMs are marketed under the OSRAM brand while products for the aftermarket are sold under the SYLVANIA brand. For more information, visit SYLVANIA.

About OSRAM SYLVANIA

OSRAM SYLVANIA is a leader in lighting solutions and specialty products that feature innovative design and energy saving technology. The company sells products for homes, businesses and vehicles primarily under the SYLVANIA brand name, and also under the OSRAM brand. Headquartered in Danvers, Mass., OSRAM SYLVANIA is the North American operation of OSRAM GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens AG. For more information, visit SYLVANIA.

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Did You Know?

-- Traffic deaths are three times more likely to occur at night than during the day.

-- Most vehicle headlights don't just burn out; they actually dim over time.

-- Each year, 2,300 pedestrians are killed in the United States due to poor driving visibility.

-- Rough driving conditions on city streets and rural roads can knock headlights out of alignment.