Should You Use High Beams or Low Beams When Driving on Highways?
1 Answers
When driving on highways, it is advisable to use high beams. Due to the high speed of travel, there is a need for extended visibility, especially at night on relatively empty roads with no lighting. High beams are essential for ensuring sufficient visibility distance. High beams can be used on highways at night because the central barriers typically block the light from affecting oncoming traffic, eliminating the risk of blinding other drivers. Additional Information: 1. Generally, it is best to avoid using high beams when driving in urban areas because the lighting conditions are usually adequate. The high angle of high beams can easily dazzle oncoming drivers and pedestrians, impairing their vision and creating unsafe conditions. It is also considered impolite driving behavior. 2. However, intermittently switching between high and low beams at night can serve as an alternative to honking the horn to alert pedestrians and other vehicles, reducing excessive noise. On highways or in rural areas without streetlights, high beams can be used to expand the field of vision. However, when encountering oncoming traffic, it is both safe and courteous to switch to low beams. When driving at low speeds, the engine may not generate enough electricity, causing the battery to discharge. Using high beams in such conditions can shorten the battery's lifespan. Additionally, using high beams during low-speed nighttime driving can increase fuel consumption, which is particularly uneconomical given high fuel prices.
