Florida Class E Knowledge ExamFlorida Road RulesMedium
You are driving on a Florida roadway. When must you dim your headlights from high beam to low beam for an oncoming vehicle?
- AWhen the oncoming vehicle flashes their lights at you.
- BOnly when you are driving on an unlit rural road.
- CWhen the oncoming vehicle is within 1,000 feet.
- DWhen the oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. When the oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet.
Florida law (F.S. 316.237) requires drivers to dim their high beam headlights to low beam when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet. This prevents blinding the other driver and ensures safe night driving for everyone.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. While flashing lights might be a reminder, you are legally obligated to dim them before that point.
- B. The requirement applies to all roads, not just unlit rural roads, to prevent blinding other drivers.
- C. 1,000 feet is too far; the legal requirement is 500 feet.
Headlight Dimming (Oncoming)
In Florida, drivers must dim their high beam headlights to low beam when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet to prevent blinding the other driver.
- Applies to oncoming vehicles within 500 feet.
- Also applies when following a vehicle within 300 feet.
- Helps prevent glare and improve visibility for other drivers.
Memory trick: Five hundred feet for oncoming glare, three hundred behind, dim with care.