WESTLOCK – As winter brings challenging driving conditions, practising proper headlight etiquette is essential for keeping everyone safe on the roads. Snow, blowing snow, fog, and long winter nights can impair visibility, making it important for drivers to understand how to effectively use their vehicle’s headlights.
Westlock RCMP provide simple headlight usage guidelines to improve safety and prevent accidents this winter:
• High beams are effective for illuminating dark, rural roads where there is little to no ambient lighting. However, they can create a dangerous glare for oncoming drivers, especially in snowy or foggy conditions. Drivers should dim their high beams at least 150 meters away from an approaching vehicle and when following another vehicle closely.
• In snowy or foggy weather, high beams can reflect off the particles in the air, actually decreasing visibility, so it’s best to rely on low beams in these conditions.
• Many vehicles are equipped with fog lights, which are designed to provide wider, lower light beams that don’t reflect back as much in fog or heavy snow. If visibility is severely reduced, fog lights in addition to low beams are often the safest choice.
• Low beams should also be used in urban areas, during heavy snowfall, or whenever glare from high beams could affect other drivers.
• In situations where visibility is near-zero, such as intense blowing snow or whiteouts, turning on hazard lights along with low beams can alert other drivers to your presence. Be cautious when using hazard lights, as they can also signal an unexpected stop or slow movement.
• Avoid using hazard lights if road visibility is manageable, as they can confuse other drivers.
• Many vehicles are equipped with automatic daytime running lights, which illuminate the front but not the rear of the vehicle. In low-visibility conditions, ensure that your full headlights and taillights are on so that your vehicle is visible from all angles.
For more winter driving safety tips, follow us on Facebook @RCMPinAlberta and on X @RCMPAlberta.
