Driving at night time is not possible proper-without working headlights. However, there are some other instances too where you should turn on the headlights even if it's not nighttime yet. It's so important that you are even required by the law to turn on the headlights in such instances.
Here you will learn about the specific laws and situations where you need to use the car headlights with proper brightness.
When to Use Headlights
1. Bad Weather
Using your vehicle’s headlights becomes necessary in bad weather. The visibility of a driver decreases in bad weather as there’s always some rain, clouds, or storm to make things worse. That is why everyone is required by the law to use their car headlights in bad weather.
Now, please understand that every state has different rules regarding this. However, the most common rule is that you need to turn on headlights when the visibility is low. Thus, bad weather indirectly forces you to use the car headlights every time you go out on the road.
2. Nighttime
Most of the accidents take place at night time. It is because most riders find it difficult to have a clear view of the road ahead. Although using the car headlights can distract the oncoming drivers, it still increases your safety by giving you a clear view of the road.
Thus, the headlights must be turned on at night time while ensuring it does not block the oncoming driver’s view.
3. Mountains
You must have seen those signs to turn on the headlights in the mountains. They are there for some reason. The mountains usually have busy narrow lanes where a lot of vehicles pass every hour. Thus, people usually turn on the headlights whenever they are going on a mountain track.
There are legal obligations to do this as well. Even if you do not see a sign to turn on your headlights, we recommend you still do it for your and others' safety.
4. Before Sunrise
The time before the sunrise is a crucial one as most people forget to use the headlights at that time. Especially the time when the sunrise just has a few minutes or an hour at most. The visibility of an average person is reduced by 40% at this time and there are a lot of risks involved in driving without using headlights.
The same goes for the time after the sunset as some people avoid using headlights before it's official night. Thus, avoid this mistake and always use the headlights before sunrise and after sunset.
5. When Required by Law
Several laws explain when should a person use car headlights. Also, these laws have some instructions related to using headlights in some specific areas. Thus, you should always check the law of your state to make sure you are not violating them.
The most common rule that you will find in almost every state is that you must use your headlights when the visibility is less than 500 feet. Another common rule is that the car owners must use the headlights half an hour before sunrise and half an hour after sunset.
The Use of High Beam and Low Beam Lights
Once you have an idea of when should you use your headlights, you should start learning about the use of high beam headlight and low beam light.
High Beam- The high beam light gives you a direct view of the road and increases your visibility for a longer distance. This light is quite bright and gives you a much better view ahead. However, it is crucial to understand that this light can interrupt the oncoming drivers.
That is why it is recommended only when you are on the highway and there’s a proper partition between both lanes. Also, you can use the high beam light when there is no traffic around and you can drive at a safe speed without interrupting someone else’s view on the road.
Low Beam- The low beam light emits at an angle that gives you a better view of the things close to you. It means you won’t be able to see things far away on the road but you can get a comfortable view of what's ahead of you.
This headlight is used when there’s traffic around as it does not affect the experience of other drivers. These lights are comparatively dimmer than the high beam lights.
You can learn more about the car headlight rules and recommendations on your State’s traffic rules guide.
Buy Quality Headlights/Assemblies at SuncentAuto
If you are worried that your vehicle’s headlights are not as bright as required by the law, we recommend you get new ones from SuncentAuto. Here you can find all types of headlight bulbs and headlight assemblies to keep your loved ones safe.
You can easily find low beam and high beam lights here. Also, you can add some fog lights as it is also a crucial time to use car headlights.
