roadwise.Open study app

Iowa driving lesson · Rural Roads, Night Driving & Sharing the Road

Night driving

A 2-minute lesson from the Iowa course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

Study this lesson in the app Back to the course
Read time
2 minutes
Course unit
Rural Roads, Night Driving & Sharing the Road
Checkpoint questions
5
Source pages
49, 56

At night you see less, and others see you less. Adjust your speed, your following distance, and how you use your lights.

Know the rule

To compensate for reduced visibility at night, lower your speed and increase your following distance.

Handbook p. 56 ↗

Know the rule

Turn headlights on before the sun goes down to make your car more visible.

Handbook p. 56 ↗

Know the rule

Iowa law requires both headlights from sunset to sunrise.

Handbook p. 49 ↗

Know the rule

Use high beams only when other drivers won't see them, such as on isolated roadways with little traffic.

Handbook p. 56 ↗

Know the rule

Glare from oncoming headlights makes it hard to see. Looking toward the right side of the road and adjusting your rearview mirror can help reduce it.

Handbook p. 56 ↗

Know the rule

If another vehicle's headlights blind you, slow down and watch the white stripe at the right edge of the pavement. The blinded feeling quickly disappears.

Handbook p. 56 ↗

Put it into practice

On a dark two-lane road, an oncoming car's lights dazzle you. Slow down, shift your eyes to the white edge line on the right, and hold your lane until it passes.

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 you're blinded by an oncoming vehicle's high beams at night, what should you do?
  1. Watch the white stripe at the right edge
  2. Close one eye until they pass
  3. Flash your own high beams back at them
  4. Speed up to get past them quickly

Answer: Watch the white stripe at the right edge

Slow down and watch the right edge stripe rather than the oncoming lights; the blinded feeling fades quickly.

Handbook p. 56 ↗
When should you turn your headlights on as evening approaches?
  1. Only after it's completely dark
  2. Before the sun fully sets
  3. When streetlights come on
  4. Exactly at the posted sunset time

Answer: Before the sun fully sets

Turn headlights on before the sun fully sets so your vehicle stays visible while light is fading.

Handbook p. 56 ↗
What should you do to compensate for reduced visibility at night?
  1. Lower speed, increase following distance
  2. Use high beams at all times
  3. Follow closer to see their taillights
  4. Drive in the left lane

Answer: Lower speed, increase following distance

To compensate for reduced visibility at night, lower your speed and increase your following distance.

Handbook p. 56 ↗
Where does the manual suggest looking to help reduce glare from oncoming headlights?
  1. Directly at the oncoming lights
  2. Toward the right side of the road
  3. Toward the center line
  4. Down at your dashboard

Answer: Toward the right side of the road

Looking toward the right side of the road and adjusting the rearview mirror can help reduce headlight glare.

Handbook p. 56 ↗
High beams should only be used where other drivers won't be blinded by them, such as isolated roads with little traffic.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: True

The manual restricts high beam use to situations where other drivers won't see and be blinded by them.

Handbook p. 56 ↗
Take the lesson checkpoint in the app

More in Rural Roads, Night Driving & Sharing the Road

All Iowa lessons