Are low beams considered headlights or small lights?
4 Answers
Low beams are small lights. Below is relevant information about low beams: 1. Definition: Low beams have an illumination range of approximately 30-40 meters. Experiments show that when driving at 55 km/h at night, if you immediately apply the brakes upon detecting a situation, the stopping distance is exactly 30 meters. This means that if you stop immediately upon detecting an object within the low beam's illumination range, there will be no gap between the vehicle and the object. 2. Function: Although low beams have an illumination range of about 30 meters, they feature a very distinct beam cutoff line. Most measured vehicle low beams illuminate 30-40 meters, with the beam cutoff line located at about 12-18 meters. The area in front of the beam cutoff line is brightly lit, allowing clear object recognition, and a clearly visible 2-3 meter diameter illuminated area on the ground. The area from the beam cutoff line to 30-40 meters mainly relies on ground-reflected light. In this area, brightly colored objects can be distinguished, but stationary dark-toned objects on the road are difficult to detect.
This is actually a common confusion among many new drivers. When I used to work at a repair shop, I was often asked about it. In the front light assembly of a car, both the low beam and high beam are part of the headlights, and they are installed in the same headlight unit. The small lights refer to the parking lights, which are those dim red or yellow bulbs at the front and rear, mainly used to make your car visible to others when parked. When you turn the headlight switch to the first position, the parking lights come on, and turning it further activates the low beam. Driving at night with only the parking lights on is extremely dangerous due to poor visibility, and you could even be fined by the police if caught. So remember, always turn on the low beam when driving at night—that's the real headlight for illuminating the road.
I'm an experienced driver with over 20 years behind the wheel. I remember being confused about this when I first started driving. Low beams are definitely part of the headlights, installed together with high beams in the front light housing. When people refer to headlights, they usually mean both low and high beams. When we specifically mention small lights, we're talking about the position lights (also called parking lights), located at the four corners of the vehicle - they look like small dots of light at night. Sometimes you need to turn on these small lights when temporarily parked by the roadside as a warning, but you must switch to low beams when driving. Many new cars now come with automatic headlights that switch to low beams when it gets dark, which is especially helpful for novice drivers.
This was a question I also struggled with when I first learned to drive. Of course, low beams count as headlights—they're what you're supposed to use when driving at night. When you turn the headlight switch to the first position, it activates the front and rear position lights, which many people refer to as parking lights. These are very dim and are mainly used at dusk or when parked. You have to turn the switch to the second position to activate the low beams. During a driving test, if you use position lights as headlights, you'll fail immediately. Additionally, high beams are another mode of headlights, but using them at night in the city will get you yelled at and is extremely dangerous.
