Couldn't you just bypass the good samaritan altogether? How about having 2 headlamp settings--normal use and ignition-off use--available to the driver? In the first setting, turning off the ignition kills the headlights. In the second, the lights work the same as they do now. Make the first setting the default (say, if you pull out the stopper or turn the dial all the way), and people don't need to worry.

I am not sure about other makes and models, but certain Chrysler and GM products automatically turn off the interior lights and the headlights after about 10 minutes of inactivity. But it still is a good idea.

If you just leave you doors unlocked, this is not a problem. I have personally shut off others' lights several times because their door was open.

I believe that nothing happens that is not in the overal best interest of the planet. If your car gets taken from you, it is your immediate loss, but in the long run, if you look hard enough, you will see how it was a positive event.

It has always held true for me. I did have my car stolen after leaving the keys in the ignition for 6 months. As soon as I noticed my car was gone, it was recovered intact. I was out $250 for the tow and new keys, but the freedom of not carrying any keys for so long (or having a dead battery from leaving my lights on) was more than worth it. If my fiance wasn't so mad about it, I would do it again.

Excellent idea, but I prefer getting in the habit of turning the lights on every time I start the car, and turning them off every time I shut the car off. Doing this automatically will prevent you from leaving the lights on, and ensure you turn the lights on every time you drive.

My old French car beeps furiously if I open the door while the lights are on and the ignition key is off. I never forgot my lights on. As simple as that.

I still can choose to ignore the beep if I really want to leave lights on, and the beep stops as soon as I close the door.

The only missing point concerns our deaf drivers friends: additional flashing lights should also warn them.

A good idea, but I think it would make more sense for all new cars to adopt daytime running lights that shut off automatically. So you never turn them on, and you never turn them off.

We've had daytime running (head)lights up here in the frozen north for 19 years now. It's been proven to reduce the number of daytime collisions. However, the rear or dashboard lights are not part of the package, so we still have to turn on our lights at dusk. With warning buzzers to alert the driver tolights left on, I can't see the need for the Samaritan switch.

Get a Subaru. Or find another car like it. The headlights go off when you turn off the ignition. If you're in the frozen north, you can leave your headlights on all the time, and they will turn off only when your turn the car off. Otherwise you can turn them on and off as you like, and you just know that you'll never accidentally leave them on with the motor off.

My last car (made by Opel) had a nifty feature where if you arrived home and opened the car door when the lights were still on, it made a noice until you turned them off. Very simple, and so effective.

I like the idea alot. There have been many times I have seen a car with it's lights on, but I don't want to go into another person's car. How would it look if a person opened the door to turn off the light and suddenly the driver shows up and says "Hey! What are you doing in my car and where's the $100 I left on the passenger seat?" This would solve the problem as you could shut the lights without entering the car.

As mentioned earlier, it seems better to update technology then put a button on the outside of the car. It is just one more thing to malfunction over time or use.

I'm staring down a pair of headlights at this moment. They keep winning. I don't know what to do.

Most newer cars turn the lights off by either time or a trigger.

Example: My 2001 Toyota Tacoma shuts the lights off (if you leave them on) when you open the door.

Solution is as simple as turn off the lights when there's no ignition key present. Most cars have this already and it is a simple task for any car electrician.

While I commend the good samaritan idea, I think there is a better solution. In fact we wouldn't have to do anything if automakers would copy Subaru (and others). When I shut my car off, the headlights immediately go off, too. In other words, assuming I shut my car off, I can't walk away with my headlights on. So how many times in your life have you ever wanted to use the headlights when your car wasn't running? In my view, when I shut the car off, everything about the car should go off that can negatively affect my ability to drive it the next time. If I can't remember to shut the car off, I have a bigger problem :)

What's with all the mistake fixing/preventing tech? Can't anyone live by the phrase "You've made your bed, now lie in it"