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14.2 Driving in the dark
Statistically driving in the dark is six times more dangerous than driving in daylight. Especially dangerous are encounters with pedestrians, bicycles or mopeds while using low beam headlights.
Whenever a motorized vehicle is driven the use of headlights or day-time running lights is compulsory. Low beam headlights (pictured above) only reach about 70 meters in front of you.
High beam headlights (in the second picture) reach about 200-300 meters in front of you. It is prohibited to use high beams:
if the road is well lit
if driving so close to an approaching vehicle or tram that the light may dazzle the other driver
if driving close behind another vehicle
How to use the lights when approaching
Approaching vehicles use high beams until the spray of the headlights reaches the spray of the oncoming vehicles headlights…
…at this point vehicles dip their headlights to low beams. Look far ahead to the right edge of the road to avoid the glare.
Turn the high beams back on about 10 meters before the vehicles meet.
How to use lights when overtaking
Before an overtake we give a light signal with the high beams and turn on the left indicator.
Turn on the high beams about 10 meters before being side by side with the vehicle you are overtaking.
When you can see the vehicle you are overtaking from your rear-view mirror, turn on the right indicator and move to your own traffic lane. At this point the car being overtaken dips the headlights to low beam.
How to use lights when parking
Daytime running lights or headlights must be left on, if a vehicle is stopped or parked on a road in the dark or in poor daylight or when the visibility is poor because of weather or other reason. However if the road is well lit and the vehicle can be noticed from sufficient distance the lights can be turned off.
Hazard warning signals may be used on a stopped or parked vehicle if, as the result of an accident, fault or for another compelling reason, the vehicle is stopped in a place where it may pose a danger to other traffic. Hazard warning signals may also be used in a moving vehicle to warn other road users of imminent danger.