When to use your Headlights

When to use dipped headlights

Driving between sunset and sunrise requires the legal use of sidelights if driving on a road with a speed limit of 30mph or less and has street lighting where lamps are placed at 185 feet (56 metres) or less. Must motorists however tend to prefer the use of dipped headlights due to improved visibility.
Other than driving during the hours of darkness, dipped headlights can also be used during daylight hours where visibility is reduced due to heavy rain, snow or fog.

Dipped headlights - law and penalties

All of a vehicles external factory fitted lighting should be in good working condition for the car to remain road worthy. Driving with a faulty headlight that affects the dipped lighting may result in being stopped by the police.
From a simple blown bulb, the police may issue a verbal warning, or possibly a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), either an endorsable FPN incurring three penalty points and £60 fine, or a non-endorsable FPN resulting in no penalty points and £30 fine.
A Roadside Prohibition Notice may also be issued providing you with 10 days' notice to get the defect fixed along with proof obtained by a qualified engineer to be given to a police officer at a station.