The headlight consists of two light units, the low beam and the high beam. Weath­er, location, brightness and time of day all have an effect on safety and visibility, and how you use your lights will greatly affect how effec­tively they function. The new cars and motorcycles today come with a Daytime Running Light feature, otherwise known as DRLs. Meant for use during clear daylight hours, daytime headlights improve safety by helping drivers to spot oncom­ing traffic. It’s important to note that while many vehicles now have automatic DRLs, these lights do not activate your taillamps which come on only when you activate low or high beam. 

When to use low beam

The main use of low beam is after sunset, when the road gets dark­er. However, bad weather is also a situation where low beam is need­ed. Whether its rain, fog or snow, low beam lights should be switched on when visibility is less than 150 meters, regardless of the time of day. Low beams are best when used in traffic in an already well-lit city areas where the low lights are enough for lighting the road. In fact, depending on where you drive the most at night, low beam can be used everywhere.

When to use high beams?

High beams are tricky for some Nepali drivers as they seem to use it all the time. High beams are meant for night time on empty roads when no other vehicles or lighting is pres­ent. If a vehicle is within your range you should dip down into low mode immediately. As high beams are very bright, it causes discomfort in the eyes. While the person who you just flashed with the high beam will be cursing you from his vehicle, there’s also a great potential for an accident if they’re caught off guard. If another driver is approaching you with high beams on or extra bright headlights, blink your high beam twice to prompt them to dip into low beam. If that doesn’t work, keep your eyes to the left side of your lane to avoid being blinded. High beams should be used on wide empty motorways, forest roads, roads that are in bad condition and also on roads with inadequate or zero lighting. Also, high beams should never be used during fog­gy conditions as the light tends to bounce back to the driver.