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Andrey
In Canada, cars have been equipped with DRLs for many years. On my last Volvo (1986 740 GLE - not equipped with DRLs) I turned the headlight switch on when I bought the car, and never turned it off again. Did the 740 seem to go through a lot of bulbs? Yes. Did I care? No. It was so easy to change a headlight that I simply kept a spare in the garage and swapped out a failed bulb in about 5 minutes. I have not yet replaced a headlight bulb on my DRL-equipped 1997 Volvo after 115k km (75k miles).
The justification that I heard for DRLs comes from the "prairie driver", where driving can become hypnotic, and anything that increases your awareness of an oncoming car is welcome. Most of us live in or near urban centres, so the "prairie driver" rationale is likely irrelevent. I have personally witnessed situations in which the DRLs of another car caught my attention and alerted me to a car that I had not previously noticed.
Finally, I must say that I have some difficulty with arguments that suggest that DRLs inflict glare that distracts or fatigues drivers. Typically, they operate at reduced output levels, and are not a distraction.
If they irritate you, shut them off. Life is too short.
Neil
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