It’s probably not surprising, but traffic deaths are three times greater at night than they are during the day, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).

With daylight saving time over, days are getting shorter and nights are getting darker earlier. Properly adjusting and caring for headlights is crucial.

“There are two keys when driving in low light. You want to see and be seen,” said William Van Tassel, Ph.D., manager of driver training operations for AAA. “It is absolutely a good idea to turn headlights on anytime you’re driving to be seen. You’re about twice as visible to other drivers, which can really make a difference. Turn a vehicle’s headlights on as soon as you start the car and keep them on.”

But fleets shouldn’t wait until this time of year to ensure headlights work properly and drivers use them correctly. Inclement weather also limits available light and visibility. Headlights, no matter the time of day or driving conditions, can be crucial to driving safely.

Charting A Night on the Town

Clean headlights, taillights, signal lights, and windows regularly (at least once a week), or more often if needed.
Headlights should also be properly aimed. Misaimed headlights can blind oncoming drivers and make it more difficult to see the road, according to the NSC.
There are a few tips for using headlights at night or dusk.
“You want to make sure that you’re not overdriving your headlights,” Van Tassel said. “You should be able to stop within the distance you can see. If you’re driving too fast, you might not be able to stop as soon as you see something in your headlights.”
Particularly when following another vehicle, fleet drivers should use their low beams so they don’t blind the driver ahead. When fleet drivers encounter an oncoming vehicle using its high beams, they should watch the right edge of the road as a steering guide to minimize glare.
Fleet drivers should observe nighttime headlight strategies as soon as the sun goes down. Twilight is among the most difficult times to drive because drivers’ eyes constantly adjust to the growing darkness, according to the NSC.
Running lights have become more common on today’s vehicles, but should they be relied on?

“Having the headlights on is much better,” Van Tassel said. “There’s more illumination being projected to other drivers with the headlights, so if it were me, I would still turn on the headlights.”

Combatting Rain, Snow & Fog

While the sun may technically be high in the sky on a rainy, snowy, or foggy day, cloud cover is probably minimizing the number of rays getting through. Precipitation also diffuses available light, making it harder to see the road, other vehicles, and pedestrians.

Every state law requires drivers to turn on headlights when visibility is low, such as when it’s raining. Some states also require headlights to be turned on when wipers are in use. Before heading out in snowy weather, drivers should make sure that headlights, taillights, and windows are clear of snow.
Use headlights with caution in foggy conditions. Drivers should not use their high beams in fog because light reflects off water particles in the cloud vapor, making it harder to see.
Instead, instruct drivers to use their regular low-beam headlights or fog lights, if the vehicle is equipped with them. With snow and rain, the rule is a little more elastic.
“The human eye is pretty good at registering changes in light,” Van Tassel observed. “So, if you’re having a lot of light reflected back to you, that may not be a good thing. You want the light extending out, not working back into your eye. In these situations, you should test it both with the high and low beams.”

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2014 and was reviewed and updated in September 2026 to verify that the information and recommendations remain current.