What are the lights on side of headlights?
The lights on the side of headlights, often referred to as side marker lights, are an important safety feature on vehicles. These lights serve a specific purpose and are designed to enhance visibility and improve road safety.
What are Side Marker Lights?
Side marker lights are small, additional lights installed on the sides of a vehicle's front and rear fenders or bumpers. They are typically amber or red in color, depending on their location on the vehicle. These lights are required by law in many countries to help make vehicles more visible, especially during low-light conditions or when the vehicle is turning or changing lanes.
Purpose of Side Marker Lights
The primary purpose of side marker lights is to increase the visibility of a vehicle from the side, making it easier for other drivers to see the vehicle and its position on the road. This is particularly important in the following situations:
- Low-Light Conditions: Side marker lights help make a vehicle more visible in the dark, dusk, or other low-light conditions, reducing the risk of collisions.
- Lane Changes: When a driver is changing lanes, the side marker lights help indicate the vehicle's position and intended direction, allowing other drivers to anticipate the movement and react accordingly.
- Turning: Side marker lights also help signal a vehicle's turning intentions, improving safety and reducing the risk of collisions during turns.
- Parked Vehicles: For vehicles parked on the side of the road, side marker lights help make them more visible to other drivers, reducing the risk of collisions.
By enhancing the visibility of a vehicle from the side, side marker lights play a crucial role in improving road safety and reducing the likelihood of accidents.
Legal Requirements for Side Marker Lights
The legal requirements for side marker lights vary by country and jurisdiction. In many countries, including the United States and European Union, side marker lights are mandatory for all vehicles, with specific regulations regarding their placement, color, and brightness. Failure to have properly functioning side marker lights can result in fines or other penalties for vehicle owners.
Ensuring that your vehicle's side marker lights are in good working condition is an important part of maintaining road safety and complying with local laws and regulations.
Can I drive with just sidelights on?
You are allowed to drive on your sidelights at night, but only if you're travelling on a well-lit road with a maximum speed limit of 30 mph. However, you'll still benefit from using your headlights in such circumstances, so we'd always recommend using them instead.
When should you use sidelights?
Sidelights. What are sidelights? Also known as parking lights, sidelights tend to be found in the headlamp unit of your car's front corners. They aren't as bright as headlights, so they're best used when it's not quite dark enough to switch to your full beams.
What do the sidelights indicate?
Sidelights are one of the most basic, yet often underestimated, lighting elements in a vehicle. While they don't illuminate the road ahead, they perform a crucial informational function—they signal to other drivers that a vehicle is on the road and indicate its size.
What are the lights on the side of your headlights called?
Car sidelights, or parking lights as they are sometimes known, are usually found in the headlamp unit in the front corners of your car. Sidelights aren't as bright as headlights, so are used by drivers to make themselves visible to traffic during times when it's not dark enough for main lights.
