Many people don’t understand what the term ‘overdriving your headlights’ means. Our goal is to help you understand that term.
As our daylight hours are getting shorter by the day (December 21st is the shortest day with only 8 hours, 55 minutes, and 44 seconds of daylight) vs. (June 21st, longest daylight hours, 15 hours, 26 minutes, 33 seconds of daylight), we are more reliant on our headlights for safe and responsible operation of the vehicle.
When estimating the appropriate speed for the conditions, we consider how far our headlights shine down the road. For optimum visibility, make sure your headlights are clean of any dirt, both working and aimed correctly. It is also good to have your windows free of any grime and use eyewear if needed.
On average, our vehicle headlights shine approximately 45 metres down the road on low beam setting. If you are travelling at 70 kmph, and you see something ahead of you that you need to stop for, such as a pedestrian, you will need approximately 40 metres to bring your vehicle to a stop. This leaves you 5 metres to spare.
Whereas at 80 kmph vehicles will need approximately 60 metres to bring a vehicle to a stop. If our headlights only shine approx. 45 metres, this means you will not be able to stop in time once you spot an object on the road that does not have a light source.
In summary, overdriving your headlights is driving faster than you should to be able to stop within the distance you can see with your headlights. It is important to consider your speed especially when driving through school zones, parks, residential areas, etc. It is best to slow down to ensure you can react to any pedestrians, children, or hazards ahead.