Types of Vehicle Lights and When to Use Them

Let’s face it, when it comes to vehicle lighting, only headlights or taillights might come to mind. Your vehicle has several lighting systems, each serving an essential purpose for your car. Having some knowledge about your vehicle’s lighting is essential if you’re a car enthusiast since this information can come in handy on several occasions.

If you’re new to driving, this article has you covered as we shall go through some of the most common vehicle lights and when to use them.

Full Beam Headlights

The brightest lights on your vehicle – full beam headlights are high-intensity lights that are angled upward, allowing you to see more of the road. These lights are only used at night when the road ahead is empty. Avoid using high beams with oncoming traffic as these lights can easily flash the drivers, risking fatal accidents.

Fog Lights

As the name suggests, these lights are designed to pierce through the mist and fog, allowing other vehicles to see you from a distance. Full beam lights are reflected by the fog, making them useless for foggy situations. Fog lights can be visible from a distance, alerting vehicles that a vehicle is nearby.

Use fog lights if visibility is less than a hundred metres. This is a good number to keep in mind since most drivers remain unsure whether they should turn these lights on or not.

Hazard Warning Lights

Hazard warning lights are the same as your indicator, with the difference being that both indicators blink simultaneously. These lights can alert traffic that the road is either obstructed or some accident has occurred.

You can use these lights when you are stationary, alerting others that there might be a slight obstruction. Moreover, if your car breaks down or you have an accident, you should turn on your hazard lights.

Indicators

Situated on all four corners of your vehicle, indicators are blinking lights that indicate where you want to turn. These lights are essential for warning oncoming or following traffic that you intend to take a turn so that they could adjust their lanes accordingly.

Ensure that you only use your indicators when you actually have to turn or change lanes, otherwise, you might just end up confusing following traffic, risking an accident.

Brake Lights

Brake lights are striking red lights that turn on whenever you apply brakes to slow down your car. These lights warn any drivers behind you that you are decelerating, letting them know that they should slow down as well. Make sure your brake lights are functional and clean, as these are one of the most important lights in your vehicle.

The Bottom Line

Having information about the various lighting systems in your vehicle is essential if you wish to drive safely. Knowing which light to use when can get you out of any unfortunate situation. For more information on vehicles, visit Turborevs.