You definitely want to turn on your headlights any time that you get behind the wheel. It could be a bright, sunny summer day. It may be noon, with the sun high in the sky. The last thing you need is help seeing the road. But you should still turn those headlights on.

Why? Because study after study has found that accident odds go down when drivers have their lights on. The time of day is irrelevant. You’re not just using those lights to see. You’re using them to be more visible to other drivers. And that’s something that can help you avoid an accident at night or in the middle of the day.

How far do the accident odds drop? Studies have found different numbers, but it could be as high as 10%. It’s usually from 5% to 10%.

That may not sound like a massive reduction, but it’s just one step out of many that you can take. Avoiding distractions while you drive decreases accident odds. So does maintaining a safe following distance. So does staying alert and only driving when you’re not feeling too tired. There are many more examples besides.

Headlight use is just one factor. If you take safety seriously, though, it’s one of the fastest and easiest ways to lower the chances that someone else will hit your vehicle. You can add it to your other efforts to avoid a crash and stay safe for years to come.

Of course, nothing guarantees you won’t get into an accident caused by another driver. If you get injured, you need to know what legal rights you have.