When should you drive with your car’s high beams on? Here’s what SC law says
Your car’s high beams are handy for illuminating dark, empty South Carolina roads. But when surrounded by other cars, these brights can distract other drivers.
South Carolina has laws telling you when to use your high intensity headlights.
Brandon Bolt, a master trooper with the S.C. Highway Patrol, compared bright headlights to a camera flash. After taking a flash photo at night, your eyes take a few seconds to readjust to the dark. High beams act the same way, temporarily decreasing drivers’ night vision.
Getting caught misusing your brights could cost you. Bolt said if you do not dim your headlights, you might pay a fine of $150 or more and get points on your driver record.
Here is when you should switch from high intensity headlights to normal ones in S.C., according to Section 56-5-4780 of the South Carolina Code of Law.
- Turn off your high beams when a car coming toward you is within 500 feet or less than 1.5 football fields.
- When behind another car, dim your headlights when you’re closer than 200 feet.
