Is It Illegal To Drive With High Beams On? Laws, Fines and Safety Precautions

High beams can give you added visibility at night on dark roads, but doing so may be illegal depending on your state laws. The brightness of high beams can potentially blind oncoming drivers, so you should be sure to turn off your bright headlights when you get too close to avoid a potential traffic citation or other consequences.

Keep reading to learn more about high beam usage, when it's safe to use them, when it isn’t and the consequences to your driving record and insurance if you receive a citation for improper usage.

On This Page

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  What Are High Beams?

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  When Is It Illegal To Drive With High Beams On?

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  What Happens if You're Caught Driving With High Beams On?

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  Safety Risks of Driving With High Beams On Improperly

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  Tips for Using High Beams Legally and Safely

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  FAQs

What Are High Beams?

High beams, sometimes called high beam headlights or “brights,” are a form of higher-intensity headlamps in cars that can help you see further down the road. They operate separately from your standard “low” beam headlights, typically through a switch on your turn signal lever.^[1]

What Are High Beams Used For?

High beams extend your visibility when driving on dark roads with little to no light. For example, you’d want to use your high beams when you’re driving at night on rural roads or in poorly lit urban areas that have limited or no street lights.^[2]

What's the Difference Between High Beams and Low Beams?

High beams are set at a slightly higher angle, looking straight ahead or slightly upward, while low beams typically tilt downward toward the road. This is because standard low-beam headlights aren’t as bright and can’t illuminate as far; they're intended instead to light more of the road directly in front of your car, up to about 160 feet ahead.^[3]

High beams, however, can extend visibility by up to 350 to 400 feet, making them better for seeing long stretches of road ahead in low-light conditions.^[3]

Many low-beam headlights turn on automatically when the car’s sensors indicate there’s less light available, but high beams are typically manually set. However, some newer cars are equipped with automatic high beams that turn on and off based on how dark it is and whether they detect oncoming traffic that could be disrupted by your high beams.^[3]

Can Driving With High Beams Be a Safety Hazard?

Because high beams are angled upward, their bright light has a good chance of blinding drivers approaching from the opposite direction, drivers ahead of you through their mirrors and pedestrians walking on or near the road. This could lead to a car accident if an oncoming car can’t see your vehicle or a road hazard, so you should always manually turn off your bright headlights when you’re driving near traffic if your car doesn’t come equipped with automatic high beams.^[2]

When Is It Illegal To Drive With High Beams On?

Laws vary by state, but you’ll typically be required to turn off high beams when you’re within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle. Similarly, high beams must be turned off when approaching a vehicle from behind, typically at a distance of 200 to 300 feet.^[4] While many states share this regulation, a few outliers are discussed below.

High Beam Laws by State

It’s illegal in most states to drive with your high beams on within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or 200 to 300 feet when approaching a car in your lane, but there are a few exceptions.^[4] For instance, states like Iowa, Minnesota, Montana and Oklahoma extend the distance needed to turn off your brights for oncoming traffic to 1,000 feet.^[5][6][7][8] Other states, such as New Hampshire, only require you to turn off your high beams when within 150 feet of a vehicle.^[9]

Not all states set specific distances at which high beams are illegal. For example, states like Vermont and Ohio require you to turn off your high beams whenever you can see a vehicle ahead or approaching, regardless of distance.^[10][11]

Since each state’s laws can vary, ensure you review and adhere to your local regulations, or you could face financial penalties and other consequences.

What Happens if You're Caught Driving With High Beams On?

Getting caught illegally driving with your high beams on too close to another vehicle could result in a potential fine, with consequences varying by state. For example, in New Hampshire, a first offense for failing to dim your lights could result in a $62 fine, while a second offense within a calendar year could result in a $124 fine.^[12]

Meanwhile, an offense in California could lead to a fine of up to $238 and a point on your driving record.^[13] While one point on your license isn’t an issue alone, repeated offenses within the Golden State could result in a license suspension.^[14]

Will My Insurance Be Impacted if I Get a Ticket?

If you get a moving violation for driving with your high beams on, you may see your insurance rates go up. This is because driving with high beams too close to other vehicles could be considered reckless or irresponsible, as brights can blind other drivers.

This type of behavior generally leads to higher insurance rates, especially for repeat offenses. However, this type of ticket typically remains on your record for three to five years, depending on your state and insurer, so if you avoid further tickets, you could see your rates return to normal.^[15]

Safety Risks of Driving With High Beams On Improperly

While high beams can be crucial to improving visibility in specific low-light environments, they aren’t a good idea to use all the time. As we’ve discussed, high beams typically point directly forward or slightly upward, which can blind or distract drivers ahead of you for anywhere from three to five seconds. When traveling at high speeds, such as on a highway, this can make it difficult to see hundreds of feet ahead, increasing the risk of a collision or a lane-departure crash.^[16]

Some drivers prone to road rage may turn on their high beams as a way to “get back at you” if you fail to turn them off properly for oncoming traffic, resulting in both drivers being blinded. For drivers in front of you who engage in reckless driving, they could attempt to brake-check you. While you’re not to blame for someone else’s road rage and aggressive driving behaviors, it may be best to avoid the scenario and the potential of an accident by following the law on proper high beam usage in the first place.

High beams can also decrease your own visibility in weather like fog and heavy rain, as the high beams can reflect off the water and shine your own blinding lights back at you, making it more difficult to see road hazards, turns or other vehicles. If you have fog lights, use them instead. Since high beams extend much farther than typical headlights, they can also lead to misjudgments of distance ahead if you forget they’re on, or when used on hills or in turns, which can lead to a car accident from failing to brake in time.^[17]

Tips for Using High Beams Legally and Safely

Below are a few tips for safely using your high beams without breaking the law:

• Always turn your high beams off when you get within legal distance of another vehicle.
• Don’t “set and forget” your high beams, but instead actively control them as needed to avoid blinding other drivers.
• Avoid using high beams in fog, snow or rainy conditions, as the reflecting light off the water in the air could blind you.
• Turn off your high beams when driving over a hill or making a turn, as there may be another vehicle there that you can’t yet see that you could accidentally blind.
• Many drivers will quickly “flash” their high beams to indicate to other drivers that their high beams have been left on or to warn them of an upcoming road hazard or speed trap.^[18] However, some states have made this practice illegal, so be wary of doing so, even if it’s meant to help another driver.^[19]