What lights should be used when passing through an intersection without street lights?

[OAmy]

When passing through an intersection without traffic signals, you should alternately use high and low beams. Here are the relevant instructions: Correct use of lights: When passing through an intersection without traffic lights, alternately use high and low beams more than twice, slow down in advance, and signal by alternating between high and low beams, paying close attention to the traffic conditions ahead. Situations for using other lights: Driving at night without street lighting or under poor lighting conditions—turn on the headlights; meeting non-motor vehicles on narrow roads or bridges at night—use low beams; passing through sharp curves, slopes, arch bridges, crosswalks, or intersections without traffic signal control at night—alternately use high and low beams (flashing more than twice).

[Peterson]

Be extra cautious at intersections without streetlights. I usually switch to low beams about 100 meters in advance. Although high beams illuminate farther, they can blind drivers in the opposite lane—if they can't see clearly and crash into you, it would be disastrous. When turning into a narrow road, remember to flick the high-low beam switch twice with your left hand to alert pedestrians, especially e-bike riders wearing dark clothes who are prone to suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Last week, I witnessed someone who didn’t use their lights nearly hit a delivery rider who darted out suddenly. Remember, never rely on high beams to force others to yield—right-of-way isn’t worth much when safety is at stake.

[McJulianna]

Navigating dark intersections at night is like opening a blind box. I've summarized a three-step approach: slow down while switching to low beams, keep your foot on the brake ready to stop, and turn your neck to scan blind spots. Once on a suburban road without streetlights, I switched to low beams just in time to spot a fallen tree trunk right in the middle of the road. Had I kept the high beams on and focused straight ahead, I would've surely hit it. Additionally, learn to use peripheral vision to spot reflective markers on both sides – a reflective dot might be an e-bike, while no reflection could mean a pedestrian in dark clothing. This method has helped me avoid several close calls on patched-up roads.

[OFaith]

Car lights are essentially a signal language. When passing through an unlit intersection, low beams are more practical than high beams: their illumination spans up to 150 degrees, perfectly covering the blind spots on the flanks of a three-way junction. High beams, like flashlights, only project straight ahead, making it harder to spot crossing vehicles. Older cars require manual switching, but newer models with AHB (Automatic High Beam) demand extra caution—they automatically switch to high beams in pitch-black conditions, so remember to manually override beforehand. I learned this the hard way in my new SUV—the auto high beams triggered furious flashing protests from oncoming traffic. Now I’ve developed muscle memory to press the stalk for forced low beams before every intersection.

[CarolineMarie]

The Category 3 lighting operation clearly states: Alternate between high and low beams when passing through intersections without traffic signals. However, in practice, relying solely on flashing lights is insufficient. Our fleet has developed an advanced solution for night driving: a combination of low beams and front fog lights. The fog lights, angled at 45 degrees, effectively illuminate the curb. Last winter, on icy village roads, the reflective ice surfaces lit by the fog lights helped us spot an elderly farmer repairing a tire on the roadside in time. Now, we always keep a high-power flashlight in the car. When encountering completely dark intersections, we roll down the window and scan the surroundings with the flashlight—more effective and legal than retrofitting laser headlights.