Now that the days are beginning to be shorter, the light is beginning to go out earlier and the rains tend to come more intensely, on the road we must know that the lights are something very important when we travel by car. All without forgetting when that rain intensifies, because the clarity of our vision is magnified (or worsened) with the lights on. But, what are the ones to put in these cases?
It is best to use the fog lights
On the road doubts can arise in situations in which we are not used to. And more so when water becomes our travel companion. What lights should I put on when it rains heavily? What if it’s foggy? This is something that the DGT wanted to take into account so that we have no doubts about it.
In this regard, we must go to the Traffic Regulations to see what the regulations say about it. In this sense, article 106 includes the ‘ Conditions that reduce visibility ‘ and in it we find that it is also mandatory to use lighting when there are meteorological or environmental conditions that significantly reduce visibility, such as in case of fog, heavy rain, snowfall, clouds of smoke or dust or any other analogous circumstance.
Thus, as they point out, a downpour motivates drivers to turn on the dipped headlights, but also the fog lights , which are forgotten once the rain has disappeared and visibility has improved. In general terms, it can be said that these lights are the great forgotten ones, since it is not usually very clear when they should and can be used .
What you should know
However, today most new cars have advanced lighting systems or, at least, automatic lighting systems that, through light sensors , detect when the amount of light is insufficient and, therefore, turn on the vehicle’s headlights. .
However, automatic systems are not perfect, so ultimately the responsibility for activating the vehicle’s lights always rests with the driver. This is why it is always recommended to use the fog lights, especially when the rain intensifies on the road.
In these, we must be clear and very aware that going without lighting in situations of lack or reduced visibility is considered a serious infraction . That is why, in the event that due to disablement or irreparable damage in the place we have to drive with lower intensity lighting, we will have to reduce speed until we can stop the vehicle within an illuminated area.
In water you have to pay more attention
The high beams can be activated intermittently or at specific moments while there is sunlight and their use is completely discouraged at night, since the light beam will not penetrate the curtain of both snow and fog and will dazzle the driver.
As such, increasing the safety distance or keeping the car’s windows clear is essential when it rains, which is why these lights in the car are something that we cannot forget about. Thus, in the event of aquaplaning, what is recommended is to hold the steering wheel firmly, without moving it and, once the car regains grip, correct the trajectory.
Also, the road agency that adds that in overtaking the speed of the windshield wipers should be increased because visibility can be lost due to the water splashed by the advanced vehicle. In addition, he recommends drying your shoes before entering the car, because if they are wet you could slip when stepping on the pedals.