Night approaching headlights — Rhode Island Permit Test

To avoid being blinded by approaching headlights, glance at the right edge of the roadway, or the fog line, until they have gone by.

Staring into oncoming high beams leaves you blind for seconds at the moment you pass the other car.

To avoid being temporarily blinded by approaching headlights, glance at the right edge of the roadway (or fog line: the white line on the right side of most roadways) until the bright lights have gone by and your vision has returned to normal.

The temporary blindness after staring into bright headlights is called glare recovery time.

Not knowing about glare recovery, a driver keeps speed while still unable to see the road.

This temporary blindness time is known as glare recovery time.

Looking to the side of the road at night also helps you spot pedestrians walking close to the edge of the road.

A walker in dark clothes on the shoulder is hit by a driver whose eyes were fixed on oncoming lights.

The practice of looking to the side of the roadway helps with glare and allows you to detect pedestrians who may be walking close to the edge of the road.

Where should you look to avoid being blinded by approaching headlights?

At the right edge of the roadway. Staring into oncoming high beams leaves you blind for seconds at the moment you pass the other car. Rhode Island Driver’s Manual, p.53: “To avoid being temporarily blinded by approaching headlights, glance at the right edge of the roadway (or fog line: the white line on the right side of most roadways) until the bright lights have gone by and your vision has returned to normal.”