by Matthew Prescott » Mon May 20, 2002 23:31
I don't know about separate plastic headlight protectors, but I have seen clear adhesive film sold in automotive shops that you cut into shape and stick over your headlights. It's supposed to protect against scratches, chips, cracks etc. I would imagine that it would be effective against small stones, but probably not as good against rocks that are capable of cracking headlights. I don't know how thick the film is, which is probably a factor in how well it works.
In terms of the incidence of headlight breakage, I don't know that either, but I've heard that the reason many new cars now have plastic headlights is because the plastic used is more resistant to breakage than glass. I always thought it was just car manufacturers being cheap, and it might have just been sales talk...