How far should you switch headlights when meeting another car on the road at night?
3 Answers
When meeting another car on the road at night, you should switch from high beam to low beam when the oncoming car is more than 150 meters away. Precautions for nighttime car encounters: 1. Always use low beam when meeting another car at night: If high beam was previously used, be sure to switch back to low beam in advance. After the vehicles pass each other, decide whether to use high beam again based on road conditions. 2. Dangers of not using low beam during nighttime encounters: Quickly switching between high and low beams can alert the other driver. If the other vehicle uses high beam, making it difficult to see the road clearly and judge the position of the other car, or even hard to spot pedestrians or objects in front of your car, this increases the likelihood of accidents.
When driving at night and encountering oncoming traffic, my experience is that you should switch to low beams at about 150 meters—don’t wait until you’re too close. Oncoming drivers can easily lose visibility or even get into accidents if blinded by high beams. I make it a habit to switch early, like on highways or mountain roads, changing at 150-200 meters. Once, I forgot to switch, and the other driver flashed their lights at me—pretty embarrassing. Since then, I’ve been more careful. In rain or fog with poor visibility, I switch even earlier, starting at 200 meters. Safety first—it’s not just about following rules but also mutual respect. With practice, judging distance becomes second nature; use roadside trees or signs as reference points to build instinct. Also, check your headlights regularly to avoid malfunctions at critical moments.
When I first got my driver's license, I wasn't sure about the proper distance for switching to low beams during night driving. My instructor said the standard is to switch at 150 meters. I tried it a few times in the city—usually switching when I could vaguely see the other car's lights, which was roughly between 100-200 meters. Beginners tend to delay switching too late, resulting in glare issues. Now I use a mobile app to help measure the distance and have developed the habit of switching beyond 150 meters. In unclear road conditions, like rural roads without streetlights, I switch earlier. Remember, safety is the priority—don't take shortcuts by keeping high beams on. Before each drive, I remind myself, and over time, the distance becomes instinctive. During driving lessons, we practiced simulations, and 200 meters felt like a safer bet. With experience, you'll learn to judge it intuitively.
