Night driving — Florida Permit Test

Florida law says you must use headlights between the hours of sunset and sunrise.

The law sets the clock, not the driver, so a bright evening does not excuse it.

Use headlights between the hours of sunset and sunrise.

You must not use high beam headlights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle: use low beams instead.

High beams at that range take the other driver’s night vision away completely.

Not use high beam headlights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle; use low beam headlights.

You must not use high beam headlights within 300 feet of the vehicle ahead of you: use low beams instead.

Your high beams fill their mirrors, which is the one place they need to be able to look.

Not use high beam headlights within 300 feet of the vehicle ahead of you; use low beam headlights.

You must not drive using only parking lights in place of headlights, and you must turn on parking lights when parking at night on a roadway or shoulder outside cities and towns.

Parking lights say where a stopped car is. They do not light the road at all.

Turn on your parking lights at night when parking on a roadway or shoulder outside of cities and towns.

High beam headlights can reveal objects up to 450 feet away and are most effective at speeds faster than 25 MPH.

Below that speed you can stop inside what the low beams already show you.

High beam headlights can reveal objects up to a distance of 450 feet and are most effective for speeds faster than 25 MPH.

Avoid overdriving your lights, which means driving too fast for what you can see.

If you cannot stop inside the lit road ahead, the headlights are showing you the crash too late.

Avoid “over driving” your lights (driving too fast for what you can see).

When leaving a brightly lit area, drive slowly until your eyes adjust to the darkness.

Your eyes take a while to catch up, and for that while you cannot see what is there.

When leaving a brightly lit area, drive slowly until your eyes adjust to the darkness.

Do not look directly at oncoming headlights: use the lane lines as visual guides and check the other vehicle’s position with quick glances.

Staring into headlights leaves you seeing nothing for several seconds after they pass.

Don’t look directly at oncoming headlights. Use lane lines as visual guides and look quickly to check the other vehicle’s position every few seconds.

Drive as far to the right as you can if a vehicle with one light comes toward you, because it could be a car with a headlight missing.

It may look like a motorcycle in the middle of its lane and be a car half in yours.

Drive as far to the right as you can if a vehicle with one light comes toward you; it could be a vehicle with a missing headlight.

Between what hours must headlights be used?

Between sunset and sunrise. The law sets the clock, not the driver, so a bright evening does not excuse it. Official Florida Driver License Handbook, p.73: “Use headlights between the hours of sunset and sunrise.”