Driving at dawn and dusk can be more hazardous than driving during the day. This is due to limited visibility, the limited area illuminated by your headlights and the blinding effect of headlights with fog lights. Colorado law requires you to drive with your headlights on from sunset to sunrise or when visibility is less than 1,000 feet. One way to reduce risk is to drive with your low beam or daylight running lights on at all times.
Any vehicle parked alongside the roadway, whether attended or not, must have parking lights turned on from sunset to sunrise or whenever visibility is less than 1,000 feet. Do not drive with only your parking lights on.
Tips for driving at night:
● Use your high beam lights when driving in rural areas and on open highways away from urban and
metropolitan areas.
● If you are driving with your high beam lights on or your low beam lights with fog lights on, you must dim them before coming within 500 feet of any oncoming vehicle so the oncoming driver is not blinded by the glare.
● When following another vehicle, you must use your low beam lights, with your fog lights off, if you are within 200 feet of the vehicle ahead of you.
● Never look directly into an approaching car’s headlights. As the vehicle draws near, drop your sight below the glare and use the painted edge lines to
guide your vehicle. Lift your gaze back up when you have passed the oncoming vehicle.
● Use your low beam lights and/or fog lights when driving through fog at night for better visibility. Using high beam lights in these conditions is like shining
your lights on a mirror.
● Increase your following distance when driving at night or on unfamiliar roads.
● Be alert to vehicles, including bicyclists, traveling after sunset without their lights on.
● Slow down and stay alert in poorly lit areas where vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists or animals might be traveling.
● Look for the single front light of bicyclists and motorcyclists traveling at night.