South Dakota driving lesson · Special Driving Situations
Night driving
A 3-minute lesson from the South Dakota course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Driving at night is more difficult and hazardous than daytime driving, because you can see only as far as your headlights reach. Using your beams correctly, protecting your eyes from glare, and leaving more space make up for it.
Night driving tips:
Use high beams whenever there are no oncoming vehicles; they let you see twice as far
Dim your high beams for approaching traffic, and use low beams when following
In fog, rain or snow use low beams; high beams cause glare (fog lights help if equipped)
Don't look directly into oncoming headlights; if blinded, look toward the right side of the road
Search well ahead of your headlight beams for dark shapes on the road
Glance right and left now and then to find the pavement edge and side hazards
Driving an unfamiliar county road at night, you're following a pickup. Instead of the usual 4 seconds, leave at least 6 (two extra seconds for an unfamiliar road at night), and stay on low beams because you're following.
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 driver fails to dim their high beams and it continues to blind you, what should you do?
Stop in your lane until they pass
Look toward the right side of the road until they pass
Switch your own high beams on
Look directly at their lights to judge distance
Answer: Look toward the right side of the road until they pass
If a driver won't dim their lights, look toward the right edge of the road to avoid being blinded, using it to stay on course.
