What lights to use for night driving on highways?
2 Answers
When driving on highways at night, use high beams. This is because highway street lights are generally not densely distributed, making it difficult to see the road conditions clearly. Additionally, low beams only illuminate up to 30 meters ahead. Given the high speeds on highways, if there's an obstacle ahead, the driver would have insufficient time to react at such a short distance, increasing the risk of accidents. High beams provide a visibility range of about 100 meters, allowing more reaction time in case of sudden situations. However, keeping high beams on continuously is not advisable. If the distance to the vehicle ahead is less than 100 meters, it's recommended to switch to low beams. Highways often have many tunnels, and there's no need to use high beams when passing through them as tunnel lighting is usually very bright.
When driving on highways at night, I firmly believe in using low beams. This allows you to clearly see road conditions ahead, such as road signs and potholes, while avoiding blinding drivers in the opposite lane and causing accidents. On highways where speeds are high and distances between vehicles are relatively short, using high beams can instantly obscure the road for oncoming traffic, creating significant danger. With several years of driving experience, I always check my light settings to confirm low beams are on before any nighttime highway trip. If the road is empty, I might briefly switch to high beams for better visibility, but I immediately switch back, especially when I see approaching headlights. Safety comes first—developing this habit has made my drives much smoother and helped avoid traffic tickets. The light controls are conveniently located near the steering wheel, and with regular practice, you can naturally master the timing of switching between beams.
