You are driving at night and another vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction. Your headlights:
- Should be on their high beam setting.
- Should be on their low beam setting. ✓
- Should be off. Use your parking lights.
- May be on either their high or low beam setting.
Answer: B. Should be on their low beam setting.
Use your low beam headlights when another vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction at night.
Why this is the answer
The Florida handbook says that at night the glare from oncoming traffic can make it harder to see. It also states Florida law requires you not to use high beam headlights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle, and to use low beam headlights instead. So when a car approaches from the opposite direction, your headlights should be on low beam. This keeps your lights from adding to the glare the other driver already faces and follows the rule for oncoming traffic.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Should be on their high beam setting. — High beams are prohibited within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle, so keeping them on would break the rule and increase glare for the other driver.
- C. Should be off. Use your parking lights. — The handbook says you must not drive using only parking lights in place of headlights, so turning your headlights off and using parking lights is not allowed.
- D. May be on either their high or low beam setting. — The choice is not either setting, because high beams must not be used when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet; low beams are required then.
Remember it
When a car comes toward you at night, switch down to low beams before it gets close.