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Virginia driving lesson · Visibility & Hazardous Conditions

Visibility & Headlights

A 3-minute lesson from the Virginia 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
Visibility & Hazardous Conditions
Checkpoint questions
6
Source pages
24, 25

Most of what you do while driving depends on what you see. The single biggest contributor to crashes is failing to identify a risk, so always know where other vehicles are and look ahead, to the sides and behind. Headlights help you see and, just as important, help others see you.

Know the rule

Stay alert for unexpected events, especially pedestrians and bicyclists. You must use headlights at night and at other times when it's hard to see.

Handbook p. 24 ↗
500 feet

Virginia requires headlights in rain, fog, snow or sleet when visibility is reduced to this distance

Handbook p. 24 ↗

Know the rule

You must use your headlights whenever you use your windshield wipers because of bad weather.

Handbook p. 24 ↗

Know the rule

Using headlights at all times, even during the day, increases your vehicle's visibility.

Handbook p. 24 ↗

Know the rule

At sunset, as soon as light begins to fade, turn on your headlights. You must use headlights from sunset to sunrise.

Handbook p. 25 ↗

High and low beams

High and low beams
SituationUse
Cities and townsLow beams (except unlit streets)
Meeting oncoming trafficSwitch to low beams
Following within 200 feetLow beams
HighwaysHigh beams, unless oncoming vehicle within 500 feet
Handbook p. 25 ↗
200 feet

Use low beams when following within this distance of the vehicle ahead

Handbook p. 25 ↗
500 feet

Dim high beams when an oncoming vehicle is within this distance on a highway

Handbook p. 25 ↗

Know the rule

If an oncoming car's high beams are on, don't look directly at them. Glance toward the side of the road, then quickly ahead to check the other vehicle's position, until you've passed it.

Handbook p. 25 ↗

Know the rule

Even if the other driver doesn't dim, do not turn on your high beams.

Handbook p. 25 ↗

Put it into practice

Driving on a dark highway with high beams on, you see headlights coming over a hill about 400 feet away. That's within 500 feet, so switch to low beams now.

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.

Virginia law requires headlights during inclement weather when visibility is reduced to what distance?
  1. 200 feet
  2. 500 feet
  3. 1,000 feet
  4. 100 feet

Answer: 500 feet

Virginia law requires headlights during inclement weather when visibility is reduced to 500 feet.

Handbook p. 24 ↗
When must you use your headlights due to weather, according to the manual?
  1. Only when visibility drops below 100 feet
  2. Only when it is raining heavily
  3. Whenever wipers are on due to bad weather
  4. Only when fog is present

Answer: Whenever wipers are on due to bad weather

You must use your headlights whenever you use your windshield wipers as a result of bad weather.

Handbook p. 24 ↗
Between what hours must you use your headlights, regardless of weather?
  1. 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  2. 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise
  3. One hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise
  4. Sunset to sunrise

Answer: Sunset to sunrise

You must use headlights from sunset to sunrise.

Handbook p. 25 ↗
When following another vehicle at night, within what distance should you switch to low beams?
  1. Within 500 feet of the vehicle ahead
  2. Within 200 feet of the vehicle ahead
  3. Within 50 feet of the vehicle ahead
  4. Within 1,000 feet of the vehicle ahead

Answer: Within 200 feet of the vehicle ahead

Use low-beams whenever you are within 200 feet of the vehicle ahead when following.

Handbook p. 25 ↗
On a highway at night, when should you switch from high beams to low beams for an oncoming vehicle?
  1. When the oncoming vehicle is within 200 feet
  2. Only once headlights are directly blinding you
  3. When the oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet
  4. High beams are never required to be dimmed on highways

Answer: When the oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet

Use high-beams on highways unless another vehicle is within 500 feet coming toward you.

Handbook p. 25 ↗
If an oncoming driver does not dim their high beams, what should you do?
  1. Flash your high beams repeatedly at them
  2. Turn on your high beams to see better
  3. Pull off the road and stop completely
  4. Still don't use your own high beams

Answer: Still don't use your own high beams

Even if the other driver does not dim their headlights, do not turn on your own high beams.

Handbook p. 25 ↗
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