Should Rear Fog Lights Be Turned On When Driving at Night?
4 Answers
Rear fog lights should not be turned on when driving at night. Here is an introduction to fog lights: Fog Lights: As the name suggests, fog lights are designed to be used in foggy weather or conditions with low visibility. Since fog lights have a wide scattering range, they cannot focus the light, but they have strong penetrating power. When turned on, vehicles in front and behind can see each other from a greater distance in foggy conditions. Therefore, under normal circumstances, fog lights should not be used at night because their glare is as harmful as high beams and can easily annoy other drivers. Generally, low beams should be used for nighttime driving, and high beams can be used briefly on poorly lit roads to better see the road conditions.
Let me talk from the perspective of safe driving. Whether to turn on the rear fog lights at night depends on visibility conditions. Rear fog lights are extremely bright, and using them on an ordinary night without fog or rain can dazzle drivers behind you, even leading to rear-end collisions—how dangerous! Once on the highway, it was dark but visibility was good, and the car ahead had its fog lights on, making the rearview mirror glare so much I almost couldn’t see the road clearly. According to regulations, like China’s traffic laws, rear fog lights should only be used when visibility drops below 100 meters, such as in heavy fog, snowstorms, or heavy rain. On regular nights, low beams are bright enough—they protect you and respect others. Make it a habit: check the weather and road conditions before driving, and only use fog lights when truly necessary. This makes driving safer and avoids fines. Remember, safety first—it never hurts.
As an experienced driver, let me tell you. I hardly ever turn on the rear fog lights at night unless the fog is so thick I can't see. In the city with streetlights on, using rear fog lights seems unnecessary and even annoying. I remember last winter when driving to the suburbs at night, the fog was so heavy that even the front of the car was blurred, and the fog lights were a great help. But turning on fog lights on a clear night is like turning on a flash, disturbing the vision of drivers behind. My principle is: if I can see clearly 150 meters ahead, I just use the low beams, which is energy-saving and practical. New drivers should pay attention to this detail and not press the switch randomly. When driving normally, observe the environment more, use them when necessary, and save them when not needed. Keeping the road harmonious makes everyone happy.
As a new driver just learning to drive, I was also confused at first. I asked an experienced driver whether to turn on the rear fog lights at night, and he said they should only be used in foggy conditions—just use low beams for normal nighttime driving. Rear fog lights are too bright, and using them excessively can dazzle other drivers, increasing the risk of mistakes. Now when driving at night, I only use necessary light sources. If visibility is good, there's no need to add extra lights. The core of safe driving is not causing trouble for others.
