While driving is a fairly universal experience and every person that drives could conceivably go to another state or even another country and just pick up a car and go, there are some local traffic laws and ordinances that vary and can make the experience a bit more complicated or you can even walk out with a ticket. So, if you are in the US, in the state of New York, the Department of Transportation has a few state laws that they would like to make sure all drivers are aware of when it comes to road safety and your car’s headlights.
Most newer cars come with automatic lights that just turn on when there is not enough light out and even adjust accordingly to the amount of ambient light so that you do not blind other drivers, but some older models, cheaper rentals and other vehicles like ATVs do not have the same features, and so knowing when you are legally required to turn your headlights on is important even if you think that this does not apply to you.
New York state laws regarding headlights
As a general rule, in New York, headlights need to be on from a “half hour after sunset until a half hour before sunrise”, no exceptions. This is done because of safety and lack of ambient light that could help drivers see the road, as headlights usually illuminate up to about 350 feet ahead and that distance is important to see clearly just in case something suddenly appears in the road.
Remember that this is especially important as you transition to sunset, because while your eyes can adapt to the changing light conditions, that does not mean that you can see accurately, so if you notice the sun going down, it is better to turn your headlights on preemptively than to have an accident because you could not see properly.
If you need to use your high beams, be careful that they are not blinding other drivers on the road. Legislation in New York states that you to dim your high beams when you are within “500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or within 200 feet of a car ahead of you” but since that can be hard to gage when you are driving, use them with caution and if you own your car make sure that they are properly calibrated so that you are not accidentally blinding other drivers.
Since New York state has a lot of changing conditions, rain fog, snow, all of which mess with visibility, knowing what to do when conditions are not favorable is important. If you cannot see more than 1,000 feet ahead, your headlights have to be on. They also have to be on anytime your windshield wipers are on as rain makes it darker than you think and it can be unsafe otherwise.
As a universal piece of advice, never use high beams in bad weather, they can actually make it harder to see by reflecting off water.
Motorcycles follow an even stricter rule as their headlights must be on at all times, day or night. It improves their visibility and helps cars keep track of where they are. Bicycles also need to have lights on them (most modern ones do) and when they are out after dark they need to have a “white front light visible up to 500 feet and a red taillight visible up to 300 feet” to ensure that cars can see them.
Other types of vehicles, like ATVs come with their own set of rules, but they approximate those of cars. If you are driving an ATV the law requires you to keep the ATV’s headlight and taillight lighted when riding a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, but it is recommended that you keep the lights on at all times as ATVs may be more visible than motorcycles or bikes, but they are still not as protected as cars and an accident can be fatal for the riders.