The Do’s and Dont’s of Using Headlights

Using your headlights is more complicated than turning them on at night and off during the day. Each state has slightly different laws about when you should use your headlights. You might find you’re not using your headlights when you should be, especially during certain daytime driving conditions.

Type of Headlights

Your low-beam headlights are what you probably think of as typical headlights. They’re the ones you turn on when it gets dark. They’re pointed down and slightly to the right to avoid shining in any motorist’s eyes.

Your high-beam headlights are more powerful, with an increased visibility range. This means they point more aggressively and can shine directly into the eyes of oncoming motorists.

Headlight Laws Vary by State

If you feel like you’ve received slightly different information about when exactly you should be using your low-beam headlights, that’s because you might have encountered a few different state laws. In fact, each state and Puerto Rico has its own headlight laws, which you should review each time you cross state lines into unfamiliar territory. You can check your specific state laws with AAA, which has created a comprehensive list of each state’s headlight laws.

In Kentucky, for instance, your low-beams need to illuminate 100 feet in front of you, and your high-beams must illuminate 350 feet in front of you. And, if you’ve ever put your hazard lights on during a blinding rainstorm, don’t do it while driving in Puerto Rico. You can’t use your hazards while you’re driving there, ever. Many states require you to put your headlights on when visibility gets bad, but they vary between a visibility of 500 feet and 1,000 feet. In Pennsylvania, you’re required to put your headlights on in construction zones.

Many, but not all, states require you to put your headlights on during bad weather. In some states, if your windshield wipers are on, your headlights must be on.

A Few Key Guidelines

Almost every state requires you to have two working headlights. Driving with a burnt-out headlight isn’t just illegal, it’s also a safety hazard. Having two headlights gives you better visibility. Two headlights also make it easier for the other cars on the highway to judge your distance from them. So if one of your headlights burns out, replace it immediately.

It’s common sense to turn your headlights on when it’s dark, but some states require you to have your headlights on 30 minutes before sunset and 30 minutes after sunrise. If you’re not sure, don’t take your cues from the cars around you, because they might not know the law, either. To be safe, go with the 30 minutes before and after rule. You’re not going to get pulled over because you have your headlights on.

Even though some states don’t require you to have your headlights on during a storm, you should turn them on when it starts to rain, anyway. Storms reduce your visibility, so turning on your headlights will help you identify slick spots or heavily waterlogged areas more easily. Other cars will be able to see you better, too, if you have your headlights on during a storm. Next time you’re driving in heavy rain, watch for a car that doesn’t have its headlights on and note how difficult it is to see that car.

What About High-Beams?

High-beams, or “brights,” are your best bet for increasing your visibility at night and in extremely heavy storms. In many states it’s illegal to use your high-beams when you’re within 150 feet of another car, whether they’re in front of you on the road or coming toward you from the other direction. You decrease your own visibility when you turn off your high-beams, but you also don’t blind the driver of the other car with your intense light.

You should, however, use your high-beams when you’re the only car on a dark road, especially if that road has no street lights. Your visibility decreases by at least 60 percent, sometimes more, at night.

By the way, it’s dangerous to drive at speeds over 55 miles per hour at night. Even your high-beams can’t illuminate something in your path far enough away for you to adequately stop if you’re going, say, 70 mph. To make sure you’ve got enough reaction time when your headlights hit an obstruction in your path, drive slower at night.

The best way to stay safe is to maximize your visibility. If turning your headlights on helps you see the road ahead better, then use those lights!

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