When driving behind another vehicle at night, you should:
- Keep your headlights on the low beam setting. ✓
- Use your high beam headlights until you are within 10 feet of the vehicle ahead.
- Use your high beam headlights.
Answer: A. Keep your headlights on the low beam setting.
Keep your headlights on the low beam setting when you are driving behind another vehicle at night.
Why this is the answer
The California Driver Handbook says to dim your high-beam headlights to low beams within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following. Since this question is about driving behind another vehicle at night, the low-beam setting is the correct choice. The handbook does not tell you to wait until you are only 10 feet away before dimming.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. Use your high beam headlights until you are within 10 feet of the vehicle ahead. — Waiting until you are within 10 feet is wrong because the handbook sets the dimming distance at 300 feet when you are following another vehicle.
- C. Use your high beam headlights. — Using high beams while following another vehicle is wrong because the handbook requires you to switch to low beams within 300 feet of the vehicle ahead.
Remember it
Think “following means low beams” — do not wait until you are close behind the other vehicle.