Is it illegal to drive with high beams on the highway?
2 Answers
Driving with high beams on the highway is not illegal. Relevant details are as follows: 1. Avoid using high beams in urban areas: Generally, it's best not to use high beams when driving in the city because urban areas usually have good lighting conditions. The high angle of high beams can easily dazzle oncoming drivers and pedestrians, affecting their vision and posing safety risks. It is also considered impolite driving behavior. 2. Other areas: On highways or in rural areas without streetlights, using high beams can help expand the field of vision. However, when encountering oncoming vehicles, it is advisable to switch to low beams for safety and courtesy. When driving at low speeds, the engine's power generation is insufficient, and the battery is in a state of negative charge. Using high beams in such conditions can affect the battery's lifespan. Additionally, using high beams during low-speed nighttime driving increases fuel consumption, which is obviously uneconomical given the high fuel prices.
I've been driving for over twenty years and often take night trips on highways, always using high beams to see farther. However, traffic rules state that this should only be done when there are no other vehicles around. If there's a car ahead or oncoming traffic, using high beams can dazzle other drivers, making it hard for them to see the road clearly and increasing the risk of accidents. Traffic police will issue a ticket if caught. I've seen many drivers get into trouble, like rear-end collisions or side scrapes, because they didn't switch beams in time. Just because highways are wide open doesn't mean you can act recklessly. In foggy or rainy conditions, you need to be even more careful with high beams—they can improve visibility, but you must switch flexibly based on the situation. I've made it a habit to switch back to low beams as soon as I see taillights, to avoid endangering others and myself. Safety always comes first.