High beam headlights should be used at night, whenever you’re unable to see enough of the road ahead to drive safely.
Low visibility at night can be scary for even the most experienced drivers. Why is driving after dark more dangerous? 90 percent of a driver’s reactions depend on acute vision, including depth perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision, all of which become severely limited at night.
High-beam headlights shine at an angle to illuminate the road 350 to 400 feet ahead or about twice as far as low beams. (Remember that 68 mph equals about 100 feet per second. When you travel at highway speeds at night, low beams may give you only a second or two to react to a hazard.)
While high beams help keep you safe, they can also endanger other drivers if you use them incorrectly. All states have laws requiring you to dim your high-beam headlights whenever there is a risk of blinding other drivers.
The exact distance varies from state to state, but typically, high beam headlights must not be used within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle or within 200 or 300 feet of another vehicle you’re following.
Understanding High Beams
A high beam, alternatively known as a full beam, is an essential component of your vehicle’s lighting system. It provides a longer range of illumination than regular lighting, as it is designed to aid visibility during night or low-light driving conditions.
If your car has the right headlights, the high beam can project light approximately 350 to 400 feet ahead of your vehicle. On the other hand, the regular beam, or low beam, covers 200 to 300 feet only. Such a drastic increase in light projection can significantly extend your range of vision.
The intensity of high beams provides exceptional clarity, allowing drivers to see road signs, hazards, and animals from a distance. However, this brightness might pose a threat to oncoming drivers’ eyes by producing glare and temporarily reducing their vision.
Thus, a thorough understanding of high beam performance and the situations under which they are most effective is crucial for safe road navigation.
From rural roads with minimal street lighting to expansive highways, high beams are indispensable in ensuring safety. Let’s delve into when and how to use them responsibly to maximize their benefits while minimizing risks.
Safe Usage of High Beams
The main purpose of high beams is to enhance safe commutes in a variety of situations. If your vehicle’s high beam obstructs some other driver’s view, placing them in harm’s way, it defeats its inherent purpose. Thus, knowing how to use high beams appropriately is crucial to ensuring road safety for yourself and others
Let’s start with the ideal time for using high-beam headlights. You should switch from low beam to high beam at night in rural areas where streetlights are limited. Moreover, you can use them when you cannot clearly see the road ahead, such as during heavy fog.
The most critical component of using high beams is knowing when to switch them back to low beams. You should dim your high beams when approaching vehicles within 300 to 1000 feet to avoid causing discomfort or accidents. This ensures other drivers’ visibility isn’t compromised by glare.
When driving on divided highways, be respectful of other drivers and reduce your lights for vehicles traveling in the opposite direction. Also, avoid flashing your high beams at other vehicles, as this can lead to miscommunication and even accidents.
Avoid using high beams in adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain or snow, because their light could reflect off water particles and reduce your ability to see. Instead, use low beams or fog lights for safer travel.
Mastering the appropriate use of high beams not only improves your driving experience but also makes the road safer for everyone else.
When to Use High-Beam Headlights to Stay Safe
Now that you have mastered the safe usage of high beams, you should also learn about the appropriate scenarios for using them. Here are some situations where high beams can be most beneficial:
#1. Low visibility in urban areas.
You may find yourself driving on a dark city street, on an unfamiliar road, or in a construction zone. It’s unnerving to realize that you’re unable to see the road ahead. When your vision is impaired, slow down. If there are no other vehicles nearby, turn on your high beams.
Your high beams will also protect pedestrians and bicyclists who may be on the side of the road or crossing in front of you. In urban areas, state law typically requires you to dim high beams within 300 to 1000 feet of approaching vehicles. You must also dim them within 200 to 300 feet of vehicles you’re following, especially at stop signs and traffic lights.
#2. Interstate highways.
Visibility on some interstate highways or they’re on- and off-ramps may be poor. There may be long stretches of road that are only illuminated by your headlights. In those low-visibility conditions, use your high-beam headlights to increase your viewing range.
However, dim your high beams when you’re near other vehicles, even on divided highways. Check with your local DMV for the exact distance your state requires. When you’re approaching another vehicle from behind on an interstate highway or at a toll plaza or rest area, always dim your high beams to avoid blinding the driver.
#3. Rural areas and country roads with few streetlights.
On rural roads and open highways, street lighting may be sparse, which can make driving more treacherous after dark. Your high-beam headlights will let you see farther down the road. In rural areas, high beams also help you avoid hitting animals, bicyclists, or pedestrians taking a late-evening stroll.
While country roads may appear deserted, be prepared to quickly dim your high beams for approaching traffic or when you approach another vehicle from behind. By dimming your high beams, you’ll be protecting other drivers.
#4. Deserted Highway.
On lengthy, empty stretches of road, particularly at high speeds, high beams better illuminate the roadway ahead, allowing you to detect potential hazards such as debris or disabled vehicles.
#5. Foggy Roads.
While high beams are often beneficial in limited visibility, exercise caution in foggy situations.
The bright light can bounce off fog particles, resulting in a glare and reduced vision. In these instances, low-beam or fog lights are typically more useful. However, if you do not have fog lights, then use high beams for enhanced illumination
When Should I Avoid Using High Beams?
While high beams can be useful in some situations, there can be times where using these lights poses a hazard to other drivers. Some of these instances are listed below:
#1. When Driving in Urban Areas.
High beams will emit light that lands a few hundred feet away, which is the length of the average street block.
This means that when you have beams on in a city, you’re impacting the vision of several drivers and increasing the risk of an accident. Instead, you should rely on your low beams and environmental lighting (ex. street lights).
#2. When Close to Another Driver.
Regardless of whether you’re in a rural or urban location, you should dim your lights when there are other people around.
This is safer when you’re driving toward each other, but should be done even when driving in the same direction. Your headlights reflect off their rear view mirror, meaning you should keep them low.
In some states, it’s illegal to have your high beams on within a certain distance of another driver. To be on the safe side, turn them down when you’re within 500 feet or about 150 meters away from an oncoming vehicle.
#3. When Driving in Low Visibility Weather.
When you find yourself driving in weather conditions that limit your visibility such as snowfall, fog or rain, you might think that turning on your high beams would improve how much you can see. However, it’s best to avoid them.
A lot of these conditions involve water molecules, which are highly reflective, so they’re very likely to scatter the light beams everywhere (including right back towards you), reducing visibility.
Having more light means there’s more light to reflect, so you’re better off keeping the amount of light you create in these conditions low.
Moreover, when you’re in a situation like this, you’re going to be driving slowly enough that you wouldn’t need to indicate your presence to other drivers from too far off, meaning that low beams also work.
#4. When Driving Around High Pedestrian Traffic.
Apart from other drivers, high beams also negatively affect vision for pedestrians around you, and in busy areas, this could be a recipe for disaster.
Take, for example, someone on the sidewalk facing a car with high beams on; they’re likely to bump into something they can’t see or walk into traffic when they don’t notice they’ve reached the end of their block.
#5. When Driving On Winding Roads.
High beams let you see farther ahead on straight roads like interstates, but they wouldn’t be as effective on roads with many turns.
In these situations, other drivers would not have time to adjust to them if you run into each other around a corner and your brights hit them all at once, increasing the chances of a crash.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
High beams are an essential and powerful tool for driving, but their improper use can lead to safety hazards. If you can manage to avoid these common mistakes only then can you master using high beams for added safety.
The first is to avoid using your high beams when driving in fog, rain, or snow, as they can reduce the visibility of oncoming traffic by reflecting off of water droplets. You should also never flash high beams, as it can be misconstrued by law enforcement as aggressive driving, making them pull you over.
It is important to regularly inspect your headlights to replace any damaged components that might reduce their effectiveness. Lastly, stay up-to-date with the latest articles and information on high beam usage to ensure you’re driving safely and effectively.
Rules and Regulations for High Beam Usage
The traffic laws vary globally, so regulations for high beam usage are not standardized. However, understanding the rules of your community for high beam usage is essential for compliance as well as safe driving.
As far as U.S. traffic guidelines are concerned, high beams are generally prohibited when another vehicle is within 500 feet, whether approaching or following. However, according to European laws, high beams are legal but discouraged in densely populated areas or during urban driving.
How to Change from Low-Beam to High-Beam
Different makes and models of cars have different methods for switching from low-beam to high-beam and back. In most cases, the mechanism is built into the lever next to the steering wheel, where the headlights are turned on and off. Alternatively, high beams may be activated by a small button on the left side of the driver’s floor.
To change from low-beam to high-beam, simply turn on the headlights and then press the lever with your hand, or activate the floor button with your foot. To change back, simply repeat this action.
In some models with lever-activated high beams, you can press the lever in one direction to flash the high beams once, and pressing in the other direction turns them on permanently.
High-Beam Assist Technology
Some newer models of cars have a technology called high-beam assist. This feature automatically adjusts the headlights to the correct setting, so you do not have to do anything.
Until this technology becomes standard on all cars, cultivating a habit of using high-beam and low-beam headlights correctly will make you safer and may help you avoid a ticket.