We’re Here to Shed Some Light on High Beams

High-beams. Those iridescent nightmares on dark roads. We’ve either fist-raged drivers who use them incorrectly or probably invoked ire ourselves. Here’s a guide on high beam etiquette – from what they do, how not to temporarily blind people, and everything in between!

Our vehicle headlights contain two modes: low-beam and high beam. Low beam projects 200 to 300 feet of light, whereas high beams are more powerful, giving drivers a road view of about 500 feet. Most people assume that more light equals more safety when driving at night. It’s why we encounter so many drivers flashing those high beams indiscriminately. But high beams aren’t always effective. Most importantly, using them all the time compromises the safety of other drivers on the road. While high beams may help us see farther down the road, their powerful light can reduce visibility.

Imagine the intensity of a flashlight in a dark room. You can see the light but not much of everything around it. High beams work in the same way, except in decidedly more terrifying conditions. It becomes impossible to see oncoming traffic, winding roads, and speeding cars. The closer one gets to a vehicle, the hazier surrounding areas become.

When to Use Them?
As a rule, drivers should switch off their high beams within 500 ft of other traffic. But if you’re on a lonely highway or back road with no incoming traffic, it’s perfectly acceptable to use high beams for better visibility. Remember to dim your high beams when catching up to cars in front of you. The bright lights from your car can reflect off their rearview mirror and straight into their eyes!



And When to Not
When driving in rainy, foggy, or snowy conditions, low beams will serve you much better. The intense light from high beams tends to bounce off these elements, shimmering in the air like tiny mirrors! Instead of the road ahead, the light reflects directly into your eye and impairs overall visibility. Truthfully, low beams get the job done in most settings – especially in areas with more traffic and lower speeds.

Can I Flash My Lights?
As tempting as it may be, refrain from flashing your lights at other drivers. Sure, there are far too many drivers who don’t dim their brights. But flashing your lights will only send mixed signals. Is it anger, a cry for help, a warning, or plain douche bag behavior? Nobody will know. Flashing your lights serves no purpose and is ambiguous. It’s the fastest way to misunderstandings and may give a police car enough reason to pull you over. So, there you have it. Using high beams isn’t rocket science but comes down to being a considerate driver. It’s pretty straightforward: low-beams for lower speeds and iffy weather, high-beams when you can drive faster and at least 500 ft away from other people. The world will thank you for it.