The hours you should be using dipped or full headlights on Irish roads as evenings get darker

The clocks go back later this month, and with that will come the return of darker evenings across Ireland.

One of the main changes people need to prepare for is new driving habits - as many aren’t used to driving in the dark following the bright and sunny summer months.

So as the days get shorter and the arrival of late-afternoon darkness approaches, here is what you need to know about the correct headlight usage over the coming months.

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Full headlights should be used when driving at night, except in the following circumstances:

• In a built-up or residential area with good street lighting
• when driving behind another vehicle (i.e. you can see their red lights ahead)
• when stopped in traffic
• when meeting an oncoming vehicle
• in dense fog, heavy rain, or snowfall
• wherever they may distract or disrupt other road users eg. cyclists or pedestrians

In the above cases, drivers should use dipped headlights. These should also be used at the beginning and end of lighting-up hours - that is, just after sunset and just before sunrise - and during daylight hours if your car isn’t fitted with daytime running lights.

No headlights should be used while a car is parked. Parked cars should only light up with parking lights or side lights.

Drivers are reminded that operating a vehicle with defective lights is illegal, so it’s important to check them regularly.

Under Irish law, all cars must have the following lights in working order:

• Two headlights and two white sidelights at the front of the vehicle
• Four amber direction indicator lights - two at the front and two at the back of the vehicle
• Four red lights at the back of the vehicle - two tail lights and two brake lights - and two red reflectors
• One or two white reversing lights at the back of the vehicle
• Number plate lighting

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