You’ve been using your headlights wrong and it could land you a £5,000 fine
DRIVERS need to be extra cautious in the winter, not only is it dark out and roads are icy, but you can get duped out of thousands for simple mistakes.
Using your headlights in the wrong way can mean a costly fine of as much as £5,000, for starters.
Drivers will be slapped with a fine of £100 on the spot if their headlights are faulty.
That could be because a bulb has blown, or your car is caked in mud blocking the light, or you've simply forgotten to switch them on as it gets darker later in the day.
You should check over your main beams, indicators, sidelights, fog lights and brake lights before every journey.
That's especially the case if you're setting off in the dark, or in extreme weather conditions.
If cases are then sent to court the fines can rise to £5,000 and drivers will face nine penalty points tainting their licence too.
The biggest thing drivers forget, is to switch on headlights when it starts to get dark, especially if the car is equipped with automatic lights that usually stay on through the day anyway.
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With shorter days through the winter it's an easy thing to miss, but crucial if you want to avoid any collisions out on the road.
Making the conscious effort to switch on the lights as it gets darker though, will also ensure the rear lights are on too, which often isn't the case with the auto setting.
It means other drivers will be more aware of you on the road from both the front and the rear that way.
December 21 is the Winter Solstice which is the shortest day of the year - drivers will only get around eight hours of daylight on that day so it's important to remember to switch on the lights as the sun begins to set.
Rule 113 of The Highway code states that drivers must use headlights at night and when visibility is seriously reduced.
But you shouldn't take that to the other extreme either.
There's the possibility of dazzling other drivers if your lights are set to too bright or you forget to switch from high beam when you enter a more built up area or come across other drivers on the road.
"You must not use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders." it says in the rules.
You could be fined £50 for not using dipped headlights in rain, fog or at night too.
Another thing that drivers may forget is that their brake lights can cause glare for other road users too.
If you're at a complete standstill in traffic you're supposed to take your foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights, and use the parking brake instead to prevent this.
How can I make sure I'm using my headlights right?
You shouldn't rely on automatic light systems to do the work for you in the dark.
Get familiar with how your car lights work, how bright they should be and how you know that they're definitely on and working.
If your indicator starts ticking away really fast you'll know it's time to visit the mechanic, for example.
That usually means the bulb in your indicator is on its last legs and may need replacing or the wiring could be faulty.
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It could mean that other drivers on the road aren't seeing your indicator flash as a result, so they won't know you're trying to make signals and it could cause collisions or accidents.
It's best to get it checked out and make sure all your lights are in good working order.
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