How to Use Lights When Driving a Motor Vehicle at Night?

[PatrickRose]

When driving a motor vehicle at night without street lights, poor lighting, or under conditions of low visibility such as fog, rain, snow, dust, or hail, the headlights, position lights, and rear lights should be turned on. However, high beams should not be used when a following vehicle is driving close behind another vehicle in the same direction. During foggy conditions, fog lights and hazard warning flashers should be activated. Additional Information: 1. Article 48 of the "Road Traffic Safety Law" states that when meeting another vehicle at night, drivers should switch to low beams at least 150 meters away from the oncoming vehicle. On narrow roads, narrow bridges, or when meeting non-motorized vehicles, low beams must be used. 2. Article 51 specifies that when a motor vehicle passes through an intersection controlled by traffic signals, it should proceed as follows: When turning left, the vehicle should turn from the left side near the center of the intersection. Turn signals should be activated when turning, and low beams should be used when driving at night. 3. Article 59 states that when a motor vehicle passes through sharp curves, slopes, arched bridges, pedestrian crossings, or uncontrolled intersections at night, it should alternately use high and low beams as a signal. When approaching sections that affect safe visibility, such as sharp curves or the top of a slope, or when overtaking or encountering an emergency, the vehicle should slow down and sound the horn as a warning. 4. Article 60 requires that if a motor vehicle breaks down or is involved in an accident on the road, obstructing traffic and making it difficult to move, the hazard warning flashers should be activated, and a warning sign should be placed 50 to 100 meters behind the vehicle. At night, position lights and rear lights should also be turned on simultaneously. 5. Article 61 stipulates that when towing a faulty motor vehicle, the following rules must be observed: Both the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle should have their hazard warning flashers activated.

[MacTessa]

I remember when I was taking my driver's license test, the instructor repeatedly emphasized the rules for using lights at night. In urban areas with streetlights, you should use low beams to see clearly and avoid dazzling pedestrians. On unlit sections of national highways, you can use high beams, but you must switch back to low beams when an oncoming vehicle is at least 150 meters away—this is a must-know point for the third driving test. Don't use high beams in rain or fog; the glare from fog makes it even harder to see. Instead, turn on your fog lights along with low beams. Before overtaking, flash your headlights twice to alert the car ahead, and wait for them to yield before passing. If you're temporarily parked on the roadside, remember to turn on your parking lights or hazard warning lights; otherwise, vehicles behind you won't be able to see you clearly.

[DiJosie]

My experience delivering packages at night is: first adjust the headlight height after getting in the car, as the rear will sink and the lights will tilt upward when fully loaded. When you see a speed limit sign, check the dashboard for the blue high beam indicator - using high beams in urban areas carries a 200 yuan fine and 1 penalty point. If oncoming traffic doesn't turn off their high beams during encounters, don't get angry and retaliate; slowing down and flashing your lights as a reminder is the most reliable approach. Alternating between high and low beams when cornering provides better visibility, but on sharp mountain curves it's best to simply slow down properly. Avoid hanging dazzling decorations on the rear windshield, as reflections from high beams of following vehicles can blind you.

[MariaFitz]

Extra caution with lighting safety is required for nighttime drives with children. If you notice a sudden dimming of lights in suburban areas, pull over immediately as it may indicate generator failure causing insufficient voltage. The child safety seat area in the back is often overlooked by parents - use sunshades to prevent direct high-beam exposure from rear vehicles. Flash hazard lights three times before opening doors when parked, especially near school zones where students often ride shared bikes. Don't fully rely on automatic headlights either - sensor response may lag during sudden light changes at tunnel exits.

[KaiRose]

Veteran night-shift taxi drivers all know: use low beams when following vehicles in downtown areas, as high beams will reflect into the driver's eyes through the rearview mirror of the car ahead. Switch to low beams 30 meters before passing bus stops - strong light can instantly blind waiting passengers. If passengers request high beams during the ride, politely explain it endangers everyone. Dimming the dashboard brightness knob reduces glare, but don't adjust it to complete darkness. Yellowed or aged headlight covers should be professionally restored, as DIY polishing may damage the anti-glare patterns.

[AndrewLynn]

Car factory testers often say: brighter high beams are not necessarily better. National standards require low beams to have a clear cutoff line to avoid directly shining into the eyes of oncoming drivers. Nowadays, cars equipped with ADAS are even more particular—automatic high beam systems use cameras on the windshield to detect oncoming light sources, and a response time exceeding 0.3 seconds is considered unacceptable. When retrofitting LED headlights, pay attention to the color temperature; 4300K, which is close to daylight, is the safest, while anything above 6000K emits blue light with poor penetration and can be glaring. Avoid using hazard lights while driving in foggy conditions, as it can confuse following drivers about your direction of travel.