That's the day when the province's new legislation goes into effect requiring all vehicles to use daytime running lights.

 The lights have been mandatory on all vehicles manufactured and sold in Canada since 1990. Drivers who don't have automatic daytime running lights will be required to use low-beam headlights during daylight hours.

 Daytime running lights have been shown to reduce daytime injury crashes by three to 10 per cent.

 Sgt. Wes Kendall of the RCMP's South Shore Traffic Services says there's no doubt that daytime running lights make vehicles more visible to oncoming traffic.

 "Especially on the highways in southern Nova Scotia, we have quite a bit of fog," he says. "With that type of weather, it makes a big difference."

 In fact, he suggests drivers go a step further in fog or snow and turn on their low beams, which activates the rear lights.

 "You're visible from the rear and side as well then," he says.

 Antique cars are exempt from the new law. The older vehicles may not have the necessary battery power for the extended use of headlights, which could cause damage to original, hard-to-replace parts.

 The fines for not using daytime running lights, including court costs, will be $164.50 for the first offence, $222 for a second offence, and $337 for the third and subsequent offences.

 Sgt. Kendall says police won't be ticketing drivers right away.

 "There will be a grace period of usually a month that we would give people warnings and educate them on the new law," he says. "Then after 30 days it's enforcement."

 The Bridgewater Police Service will be following a similar procedure.