Can the Rear Vehicle Use High Beams?
2 Answers
Rear vehicles generally should not use high beams. If a rear vehicle turns on its high beams, the most direct way to alert them is to tap the brakes. However, when tapping the brakes, it's important to do so skillfully—recommending frequent light taps, which will cause the brake lights to flash repeatedly. High Beam Usage Tips: High beams should only be used when there is no other surrounding light. For example, when driving at night on unlit highways or rural roads, high beams can be used to expand the field of vision. However, when encountering an oncoming vehicle, it is necessary to switch to low beams for safety and courtesy. Dangers of Rear Vehicle High Beams: The first direct impact is on the rearview mirror, as high beams shining onto it reflect back, causing glare and potential eye strain. If the rearview mirror is in manual mode, there is a small lever beneath it. It is advisable to tilt this lever forward or backward, adjusting the mirror's angle to reduce the intensity of reflected light.
Having driven for over a decade, I deeply understand how the high beams from a following car can be an absolute nightmare—the intense light beam directly hits your eyes through the rearview mirror, causing temporary glare and making it hard to see the road ahead. This happens because high beams have a wider light spread, which easily reflects into the eyes. At night, when your pupils are adapted to darkness, sudden bright light can lead to blurred vision or even headaches. My advice is to make it a habit: use high beams only in completely dark areas with no other vehicles in front or behind, and switch back to low beams as soon as you're within 100 meters of the car ahead. Modern vehicles with adaptive headlight technology can adjust automatically, but manual control is more reliable to ensure the light angle isn't too high or too low. Combining safety awareness with technical details can prevent 99% of accidents—don’t let laziness lead to major mistakes.
