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California driving lesson · Safe Driving Fundamentals

Night driving & sun glare

A 3-minute lesson from the California course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
3 minutes
Course unit
Safe Driving Fundamentals
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
65, 66

At night you see less and others see you less. Sun glare at sunrise and sunset can be just as blinding. Both call for slower speeds and smart use of your lights and eyes.

Know the rule

Use high beams on open country roads or dark city streets, but not where they are illegal. Make sure you can stop within the distance lit by your headlights.

Handbook p. 65 ↗

Know the rule

Dim your high beams to avoid blinding the driver of an oncoming vehicle.

Handbook p. 65 ↗

If an oncoming vehicle's lights are too bright:

  • Do not look directly into the oncoming headlights
  • Look toward the right edge of your lane
  • Watch the oncoming vehicle out of the corner of your eye
  • Do not retaliate by keeping your high beams on; it makes it harder for both of you to see
Handbook p. 65 ↗

Know the rule

When it is raining, use your low-beam headlights. Do not drive using only your parking lights.

Handbook p. 65 ↗

When you drive at night, remember:

  • Motorcycles, pedestrians, and bicyclists are much harder to see
  • Highway construction can happen at night; reduce speed in construction zones
  • Leaving a brightly lit place, drive slowly until your eyes adjust
  • A vehicle with one light coming at you: drive as far right as possible
Handbook p. 65 ↗

Know the rule

A single light coming toward you could be a bicyclist, motorcyclist, or a vehicle with a missing headlight.

Handbook p. 65 ↗

To manage sun glare:

  • Keep the inside and outside of your windshield clean
  • Wear polarized sunglasses
  • Keep enough space around your vehicle
  • Make sure your visor works and nothing restricts it
  • Be aware of pedestrians; they may be hard to see
  • Try to avoid driving during sunrise and sunset
Handbook p. 66 ↗

Put it into practice

On a dark two-lane road, an oncoming driver keeps their high beams on. Don't flash yours back. Look toward the right edge of your lane, track the other car from the corner of your eye, and slow down if needed.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

If an oncoming vehicle's headlights are too bright, where should you look?
  1. Directly at the oncoming headlights
  2. Toward the center divider
  3. Down at your dashboard
  4. Toward the right edge of your lane

Answer: Toward the right edge of your lane

Look toward the right edge of your lane and watch the oncoming vehicle out of the corner of your eye.

Handbook p. 65 ↗
What should you do when you leave a brightly lit place and start driving at night?
  1. Drive slowly until your eyes adjust
  2. Use high beams until your eyes adjust
  3. Turn on your interior light
  4. Follow the car ahead closely

Answer: Drive slowly until your eyes adjust

After leaving a bright place, drive slowly until your eyes adjust to the darker conditions.

Handbook p. 65 ↗
If you see a vehicle with only one headlight approaching at night, what should you do?
  1. Flash your high beams at it
  2. Drive as far right as possible
  3. Move toward the center of the road
  4. Keep your lane position and speed

Answer: Drive as far right as possible

A vehicle with one light could be a bicyclist, motorcyclist, or vehicle with a missing headlight; move right to be safe.

Handbook p. 65 ↗
Where does the handbook say to use your high-beam headlights at night?
  1. In fog or heavy smoke
  2. On open country roads or dark city streets
  3. When it is raining
  4. When following another car closely

Answer: On open country roads or dark city streets

Use high beams on open country roads or dark city streets; use low beams in rain and fog, and dim within 300 feet of a car you follow.

Handbook p. 65 ↗
What should you use to help manage sun glare?
  1. Your high beams during the day
  2. Dark tint across the windshield
  3. Keeping your visor stowed
  4. Polarized sunglasses and a clean windshield

Answer: Polarized sunglasses and a clean windshield

Managing sun glare includes wearing polarized sunglasses and keeping your windshield clean.

Handbook p. 66 ↗
You should keep your high-beam headlights on when facing an oncoming vehicle with bright lights, to see better.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: False

Do not keep your high beams on in response to bright oncoming lights; it makes it harder for both drivers to see.

Handbook p. 65 ↗
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