Driving at night

By the end of this topic you can

• You can switch between dipped and full beam at the right times.
• You can deal safely with dazzle from oncoming lights.
• You can choose a speed that lets you stop within the distance your lights show to be clear.
• You can spot pedestrians, cyclists and animals in the dark.
• You can recognise tiredness and take action.

What you need to know and understand

• Night, or the hours of darkness, is from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise (Highway Code rule 113).
• You MUST use headlights at night, except on roads with lit street lighting (rule 113).
• You MUST NOT use lights in a way that dazzles or causes discomfort to other road users (rule 114).
• Use dipped headlights at night in built-up areas (rule 115).
• If you are dazzled by oncoming headlights, slow down and stop if necessary (rule 115).
• You MUST NOT use your horn in a built-up area between 11.30 pm and 7 am, unless another road user poses a danger (rule 112).
• Do not wear tinted glasses or lenses at night if they restrict your vision (rule 94).
• Avoid long journeys between midnight and 6 am, when natural alertness is at its lowest (rule 91).

Dipped beam, full beam and dazzle

Full beam lights up much more of the road and is useful on dark, unlit roads with no one ahead. Dip your lights as soon as you see oncoming traffic, when you are following another vehicle, and in built-up areas. When overtaking, keep dipped until you are level with the other vehicle, then use full beam if it will not dazzle anyone coming the other way (rule 115).

If oncoming lights dazzle you, look towards the left edge of the road, slow down and stop if you need to. Keep your windscreen clean inside and out, because dirt and smears make glare much worse. In a stationary queue at night, use the parking brake and take your foot off the footbrake once traffic behind has stopped, so your brake lights do not dazzle them (rule 114).

Seeing and being seen

Make sure all your lights work and are clean before you set off. Slow down: you should be able to stop within the distance you can see to be clear, which at night means within the area lit by your headlights (rules 125 and 126).

Pedestrians in dark clothes, cyclists and animals are all hard to spot. On country roads, look for reflective eyes at the roadside and warning signs for deer and other wild animals. Use the bends ahead to your advantage: the glow of oncoming headlights can warn you of a vehicle before you see it.

Tiredness after dark

Tiredness is a major cause of serious collisions, and it is more likely at night. Warning signs include yawning, heavy eyelids, drifting in your lane and not remembering the last few miles.

Do not start a journey if you are tired. If you feel sleepy, stop somewhere safe as soon as you can. Do not stop on a motorway hard shoulder or in an emergency area to rest (rule 91). New drivers are at particularly high risk between midnight and 6 am.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting to dip for oncoming traffic. Dip as soon as you see their lights.
• Staring at oncoming headlights. Look towards the left edge of your side of the road.
• Driving at daytime speeds on unlit roads. Slow down so you can stop within your lit area.
• Pushing on when tired. Stop, rest and only continue when properly alert.

Test yourself: Driving at night

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• When to Use Fog Lights