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When do I have to turn off my brights while driving at night?
I’m a pretty new driver and this is my first time driving outside of a city. I’ve been using my brights when driving at night but I’m worried that I’m not turning them on and off at the right times. When should you dim your headlights when you’re driving at night?
Sean Boehme · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Driving in a new area can be scary, especially when you’re a new driver! There are a few general rules you can follow when it comes to your
headlights
that will keep you and other drivers safe.Your high beam headlights, or your brights, are headlights that shine directly in front of your car and light up a few hundred feet in front of you. Unlike low beam headlights, which are directed at the ground, your brights will distract and blind other drivers.
The general rule for driving with your brights is that you should turn them off and
switch to your low beams
as soon as you see another car. Assuming the other driver does the same, you’ll both be able to see and can turn them back on as soon as you pass one another.If you are driving behind a car, you should still switch to your low beam lights, especially if you are within a few hundred feet of them. Although not as blinding as if they were oncoming, brights can still distract a driver in front of you.
Many states have specific rules in place when it comes to using your brights. For example, a state might demand you switch to your low-beam lights:
When an oncoming car is within 500 feet of you
When you are within 200 feet of the car in front of you
Since it’s difficult to tell exactly how close you are to another car, especially at night, it’s best to play it safe and switch to your low beams whenever you see another vehicle on the road.
Finding car insurance as a new driver can be intimidating, but Jerry can help.
Jerry
is a car insurance comparison app that makes it easy to find affordable quotes from more than 50 of the top carriers in the country.New drivers that use Jerry regularly save around $887 per year.
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