Other environmental and road conditions

Using the full beam headlights

• When driving at dark, never look into the beam of the oncoming traffic (A) (image 1), nor look directly in front of you (C). You should instead focus on what´s in front of you in the distance at the side of the road (indicated by B in this picture). This is to prevent you from being dazzled and additionally you can spot animals faster.

Image 1: Focus on the area indicated with B

• You're not allowed to drive behind another car with your full beam headlights on, since these can dazzle the driver.
• You're not allowed to use the full beam headlights when the road is adequately lit up, for example during daylight.
• When you’re driving at dark with your full beam on and you spot an uncoming train, then you should switch of the full beam. Otherwise the train driver can be dazzled. And he or she should be able to see the tracks.
• When you reach the top of a hill it is recommended to momentarily switch off the full beam, because then it is easier to see oncoming traffic and possible obstacles (due to the light of oncoming cars behind the object).
• You should dim the full beam headlights as soon as you spot the lights on a lorry's roof. This is because a lorry driver is sitting higher up than a car driver.
• When overtaking at dark, you should switch on the full beam again as soon as possible, without dazzling the driver you are overtaking. As an example, the best is turn them on is at position C in this picture (image 2). Turning on the full beam at position D will dazzle the driver in front of you, but at position A and B it would give you less visibility.

Image 2: Switch on the full beam again at position C

• At night time your vision will always deteriote a bit, which is called night vision. But, if you are dazzled by another cars full beam, this will momentarily deteriorate even more for a minute or two.
• When passing by pedestrians at dark, while having you full beam on, it is safer for you to keep them on to have a better visibility. Pedestrian can easily look away to avoid being dazzled. However, you are permitted to turn them off for the pedestrians comfort if you want.
• You never have to dim the full beams for a car that is parked, because even if that driver is dazzled that would not be harmful since he or she isn't driving anyways.
• The distance from which you are likely to spot a pedestrian in the dark depends on the type of clothes the pedestrian is wearing and which lights of your car are switched on.

Visibility in the dark is approximately as following: Dark clothes; 20 to 30 m with only dipped headlights, 150 m with full beams. Light clothes; 60 m with only dipped headlights, 300 m with full beams. Reflectors; 125 m with only dipped headlights, 450 m with full beams.

• The best moment to turn on your full beams again when meeting oncoming traffic is when you and the other vehicle are next to each other. Take a look at this picture (image 3); turning on the full beam at position A will dazzle the driver on the opposite side of the road, but at position C it would give you less visibility because you and the other vehicle have then already past each other. The best is to turn them on as soon as possible, without dazzling the driver on the opposite side of the road, which means the moment you’re meeting that car which is approximately at position B.

Image 3: Switch on the full beam again at position B

Driving at dark

• You’re allowed to stop or park on a country road when it´s dark, but you need to have the parking and rear lights on.
• Be aware that if the leftside (A) (image 4) of the headlights of a meeting car on the opposite side of the road is broken/not working, then the risk of a collision is higher as compared to the right side(B). This is because in case A you might think you have more space on the road than you actually have.

Image 4: The risk of collision is higher in situation A

• While you're driving on a country road when it´s dark, try to drive as near to the left edge (image 5) of your lane as you can (close to the middle of the road). This enables you to easier see if there are for instance animals at the side of the road.

 

Image 5: Keep to the left on a country road when it's dark

• When you’re driving on a country road during daytime it might be a good idea to possition yourself a bit more on the hard shoulder, in order to keep a smooth traffic flow. But at dark, as in this picture (image 6), it´s more difficult to see if there´s any obstacle on the road, or animals that are crossing the road (or about to). Therefore you should not position yourself on the hard shoulder when it’s dark.

Image 6: Don't drive on the hard shoulder when it's dark

 Other environmental and road conditions

• A car pool is basically a system in which several people share a car during a trip, instead of everyone driving there own car. This is better for the environment because it leads to a significantly lower fuel pollution.
• A wildlife passage is tunnel underneath a road which enables animals to move safely to the other side of the road.
• A cattle grid (image 7) is a set of metal bars placed over a hole in the ground. Their goal is to prevent animals (cattle) from crossing a road or leaving their area.

Image 7: Cattle grid 

• Fog is dangerous because it reduces your visibility severely.
• During foggy conditions it is not always good to have your rear fog lights on. When you notice that traffic behind you has spotted you, then you should turn off the rear fog lights, because they are very sharp and could dazzle drivers behind you.
• Rear fog lights are not only allowed to be used during foggy conditions, they are also allowed to be used when there is heavy rain, or other visibility conditions that are comparable to fog.
• Traffic produces infrasound, which is an inaudible sound that can cause headaches, tiredness and can lead to problems with concentration.
• Not only people who live near highways or country roads have problems with traffic noise. Noise isn't only created by traffic that drives fast, also cars that drive for instance 40 or 50 km/h can cause noise, for instance in urban traffic.