Night Driving

Using your headlights

It is more dangerous to drive at night than in the daytime because you cannot see as far ahead at night. The law requires motorists to turn their headlights on when driving from sunset to sunrise, any time you cannot see 500 feet ahead of you, and when windshield wipers are in use as a result of rain, sleet, snow, etc. When inclement weather has reduced visibility during the daytime, you must turn on your headlights. The law requires that you use your low beam headlights during inclement weather conditions such as snow, rain, and fog or whenever there are conditions that reduce visibility. In these situations, high beams may reflect off the snow, rain, or fog in the air and shorten the distance you can see. The rear license plate on your vehicle must be lit so it can be seen and read at least 60 feet from the back of the vehicle.

Dimming your headlights: 500/200 Rule of Dimming Headlights

When driving a motor vehicle on the open highway at night, you should dim your high beam headlights when meeting or following another vehicle. Dim your high beam headlights promptly at a distance of at least 500 feet ahead when approaching another vehicle. When following another vehicle at a distance of 200 feet or less, dim your high beam headlights so that they will not distract or blind the driver ahead.

Approaching headlights

To avoid being temporarily blinded by approaching headlights, glance at the right edge of the roadway (or fog line: the white line on the right side of most roadways) until the bright lights have gone by and your vision has returned to normal. Motorists who stare into oncoming vehicles headlights or rear-view mirror light will experience temporary blindness as their body regains sight from the glare. This temporary blindness time is known as glare recovery time. Motorists tend to experience the same effects from bright sunlight as well. The practice of looking to the side of the roadway helps with glare and allows you to detect pedestrians who may be walking close to the edge of the road.

High Beams

Low Beams

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