The California high-beam law regulates how lamps may be legally used on shared roads. The Golden State is full of these long, winding paths between densely populated areas. High-beam headlights are required in a world where streetlights do not guide you. Modern vehicles are equipped with high-speed headlights for a reason. The use of high beams is legal in this state, but certain conditions must also be met. Keeping yourself safe and legal requires knowing when to use your bright headlights.
State Laws for Headlights on High
The laws regarding headlights on high use vary by state. However, the rules are consistent due to practical driving requirements. Bright car lights laws focus on not blinding other drivers, especially when this could result in accidents, injuries, and fatalities. This means that high-beam laws typically ban using high headlamps within a certain approaching or following distance of another car.
California High-Beam Law
In California, the high-beam law is clearly defined. You must turn your headlights on highs off once you approach another vehicle, either following or going in opposite directions. According to Vehicle Code 24409 VC, you must:
- Dim high beams within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle
- Dim headlights on high when following a car within 200 ft.
For a short period of time, both vehicles can navigate by one another’s headlights, ensuring the other vehicle can see its lane instead of being blinded. The dimming of the rearview mirror of an automobile you are following ensures that it is not blinded and can monitor road conditions safely.
Penalties for California High-Beam Abuse
There are two potential penalties for abusing the use of bright headlights, which are against California’s high-beam law.
- Fines
- You can receive a ticket with fines up to $238
- Points on DMV Driving Record
- Each instance of high-beam abuse will result in 1 point on your DMV record.
- Your license can be suspended at six points, and the suspension time increases with the number of points.
The Dangers of Using Headlights on High
Bright headlights are only selectively functional. They are essential when needed but can do more harm than good if misused. Misusing your bright headlights, whether you are trying to see more clearly, don’t realize they are on, or try to use them aggressively—as some drivers do—can result in several dangers.
Blinding Other Drivers, Causing Accidents
Drivers who face or drive ahead of those using high beams might be blinded by bright glare. This can be dangerous, especially at night, when bright headlights ruin another driver’s vision. They can’t identify lanes, curves, road obstacles, or other vehicles when they don’t use low-beam headlights. The inability to see on the road can result in car accidents from curves, oncoming obstacles, or vehicles in nearby lanes when blinded from behind.
Decreased Visibility in Bad Weather
In heavy fog, snow, or rain, it can be tempting to turn on your brights to ‘see better.’ However, high beams only provide more visibility in clear conditions. The weather particles in the air will reflect that extra-bright light back at you, often only making visibility worse. You will also create a bright glow, resulting in illusions that make the road more dangerous for other nearby drivers.
Road Rage
Brights are an often-used weapon of aggressive and road-raging drivers. However, uncareful use of brights can also cause road rage. Having your brights on can distract and infuriate other drivers on the road, who become agitated when they cannot see. This can result in even more aggressive behavior like tailgating or reckless passing, which increases the risk experienced by everyone near a road-raging driver.
Distance Confusion
Bright headlights illuminate more than low beams. The light goes further. If you are accustomed to measuring distances by your headlights and forget that your brights are on, you may misjudge distances, causing braking accidents or turning collisions.
When to Drive With Your Brights On
You may know a few of them, but many roads in the Gold Rush State require bright lights. These are the roads where darkness closes in, so you can’t tell distances with low beams alone. The highway curves around mountains without street lights to guide you, and it curves on long rural paths between farms and empty fields. During these times, we all enjoy using our high beams.
- At Night on Dark Roads
- The ability to have headlights on high was designed to illuminate dark roads at night. Long rural routes and dark turns make it vital to use your brights to see potential turns or obstacles in the road ahead of you in deep darkness.
- In Clear or Light Weather
- Remember that your brights are only helpful in light weather.
- When No Cars are Nearby
- On dark yet populated roads, you can often navigate by the headlights of other cars. Only use your brights when there aren’t other vehicles nearby.
When to Use Low Beams
Low-beam headlights are your regular headlights without the brights. These are sufficient for most situations outside of those deep, dark, between-town roads where there are no street lights or the lights from other cars.
- City and Town Driving
- Always use normal headlights when driving within the limits of cities and towns. Don’t blind people in residential areas or other drivers on populated streets. Use street lights to enhance your navigation, not your bright headlamps.
- Hazardous Weather
- In any kind of dense weather, such as fog, heavy rain, snow, or even smoke, use your low beams. High beams will only reflect off the particles and make visibility worse.
- Passing Other Vehicles
- Adhere to the California high-beam law. Switch off your high beams when passing other vehicles going in the same or opposite directions.
- Turn off your brights within 300 feet of approaching or passing a vehicle in a same-direction lane.
- Turn off your brights within 500 feet of passing a vehicle going the opposite direction.
Keep Other Drivers In Mind at All Times
The most important thing to remember is that the California high-beam law is about safety, not restriction. It’s not about telling you when to use which headlights. The goal is to prevent blinding other drivers and causing accidents. In fact, this level of vigilance and consideration can help you stay awake and alert on long drives out in the dark.
Even if you aren’t using your brights, it’s a good idea to stay aware of other drivers to minimize potential accidents. Practice defensive driving to avoid getting into car accidents. Watch the road conditions around you, plan ahead to avoid trouble, and pay attention so you notice if other cars take a potentially risky or unexpected action.
How to Play “The Brights Game”
Long-time road trippers and truckers have long since learned a particular “game” that helps everyone use their brights correctly and stay alert on the road. It combines self-challenge and dark road etiquette, particularly on dark roads only traversed by trucks and the occasional lone wandering vehicle.
Here’s “how to play”
Start with a long, dark route that requires driving with your high beams on.
Challenge yourself to switch off your brights
- As soon as you see the headlights of another vehicle
- As soon as you see headlights coming over, the subsequent rise
- As soon as you see headlights coming around a curve.
- and
- As soon as you see red taillights ahead of you.
Challenge yourself to switch your brights back on
- As soon as you pass the oncoming car, you can no longer see their headlights.
- As soon as you pass a same-direction car, and their headlights are in your mirrors.
Flashing High Beams Legal in California?
Standard road etiquette says there are certain times to flash your brights at another driver.
- Driving at night with their headlights off.
- Blinding you with their brights.
- There is a hazard they don’t see.
Flashing brights is supposed to be a quick, friendly way to say “Hey, pay attention” to another driver and hopefully increase their awareness. It’s common courtesy looking to maintain the shared safety of the road. But is it legal?
Not Within 300-500 Feet
The answer depends on your distance. According to the California high-beam law and an interview with a California highway patrol officer, any bright headlamp used within the restricted range is illegal.
Fortunately, a lot of brights flashing happens long before that range. 300 to 500 feet is 20-35 car lengths. If you see a car coming over a distant hill with its brights on or headlights off, you can flash brights outside of 35 car lengths. They might even flashback to say “Hello” or “Oh, thanks”.
Dip Lights Instead
If you are within 20-35 car lengths, there’s another way to get the attention of sleepy and inattentive drivers. Dip your lights, instead. Briefly turning your own headlights off and back on again is another way to “flash” the other driver by creating a change in their view – without using your brights inside the restricted distance.
Injured in a Car Accident? Contact a Lawyer Today
If you’ve been injured in a car accident involving high beams, blinding, or dark, unpredictable roads, our lawyers are here to help. We understand how dangerous driving at night can be. Low visibility and the potential reckless or unsafe behavior of other drivers can lead to accidents that are all the more terrifying because they happen at night.
You don’t have to face the insurance companies or hearings alone. Contact us to consult on your case by calling our office or using our contact form. Our team is here to support you and help you win a fair settlement for your injuries and repairs.
