What do you do when you’re driving and a car approaches with its high beams on? Like most people, you probably flash your headlights back at the car. But did you know that there’s a right and wrong way to do this?
Flashing your headlights back at a car with high beams can be dangerous, so it’s important to know how to reflect them correctly.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to reflect high beams back and give some tips on how to stay safe while driving. So keep reading this full blog post.
Summary: There are a number of effective ways to reflect back high beams. These include flashing your headlights quickly, using road reflectors, aluminum foil, a glass or other solid object on the dashboard, employing an auto-reflector, using the spare tire, attaching reflective bands or strips, adjusting the rearview mirror and using fog lights.
What Causes High Beams?
High beams are bright headlights that let car drivers see farther down the road than regular headlights at night or in poor weather conditions.
However, when other drivers use their high beams while driving behind you or when you are driving on a dark road, the intensity of the light may be enough to blind you and put you in danger temporarily.
10 Effective Ways on How to Reflect High Beams Back
1. Flash Your High Beams Quickly
If you flash your high beams quickly for a short period, the oncoming driver will likely think that your car’s high beams are an oncoming car’s taillights.
As a result, they may dip their high beams briefly to avoid blinding you, giving you more time to slow down before any potential collision.
2. Use Road Reflectors
One of the cheapest yet most effective methods to reflect high beams is by using road reflectors. You can find these reflective pavement markers on or near highways, parking lots, and even city streets.
These are great because they’re built with glass-bead solid technology to bounce your high beams back at a very sharp angle.
3. Use Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil works great because it’s very shiny, reflective, and quite thin. However, when aluminum foil is used alone or in conjunction with other materials to reflect high beams, it can often be challenging to see the results of your work from inside the car.
Make sure to keep this in mind, as you’ll want to be able to see where your high beams are directed.
4. Place a Glass or Other Solid Object on Your Dashboard
If you’re not the DIY type and would rather spend money than time, commercial products are available that can reflect high beams for you.
These items can be as simple as a piece of glass or other reflective object placed on your dashboard. However, if you go this route, choose a thing that will not obstruct your view when driving.
5. Use Your Headlights
You can also use a less-reflective surface and shine the high beams back onto it with your headlights.
This will take a lot of work and a serious understanding of lighting science, but it’s a great way to do the job once you get it right.
6. Employ an Auto-Reflector
Auto reflectors work very similarly to road reflectors when used to reflect high beams back at oncoming drivers. However, they are usually smaller and more streamlined for greater convenience.
Therefore, in addition to being useful in several other situations, you can also use an auto reflector to reflect high beams back to oncoming cars.
7. Use Your Spare Tire
Another DIY method that can be used is by carefully placing a spare tire on the road with the reflective side facing toward oncoming cars.
Again, make sure to do this on an unlit road at night, and be careful that your spare tire doesn’t get run over by other vehicles or cause any accidents.
8. Attach Reflective Bands or Strips
Reflective bands and strips are available for purchase at automotive stores and will come in various sizes and shapes.
You can use these to attach reflective material onto your license plate so that the high beams from oncoming vehicles reflect to them.
9. Adjust Your Rearview Mirror
Most rearview mirrors are adjustable so that you can focus them on seeing directly behind your car. Adjust your rearview mirror to point toward oncoming vehicles, and high beams will be reflected back at them.
This shouldn’t obstruct your view while driving since the light should be coming in from further away than your normal range of vision.
10. Use Your Fog Lights
Most modern cars come equipped with fog lights, and these can be a great tool for reflecting high beams at oncoming drivers.
If your car does not have fog lights, you can also buy aftermarket ones specially designed to reflect high beams back.
Just make sure that they fit onto your vehicle securely and aren’t too bright since they’ll be reflecting very powerful beams of light.
Some Helpful Tips to Avoid High Beam Light from Car Behind You:
1. Turn on your low beams.
2. If there is no traffic on the other side of the freeway, turn off all of your lights (including your brights). Your lights will only reflect an empty highway or another driver’s eyes; they won’t bother any oncoming drivers.
3. As cars pass you with their high beams, keep an eye on the car in your rearview mirror. Watch as their high beams pass you and then shut off.
This is a good indication that they have passed, and it gives you a chance to turn on your low beams again.
4. If a driver’s high beam does not shut off when passing you, do not look in the direction of their headlights. This will not cause them to shut off, and you could flash them, resulting in an accident.
5. Be aware of the car directly behind you to tell when they are trying to pass or let them pass if it is safe for them to do so.
6. If there are no cars behind you, driving slower than the speed limit in the right lane is generally safe.
7. Use your high beams when there are no oncoming cars in sight.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Reflecting High Beams Back
1. Suddenly Paddle on the Brake
People tend to think that they can instantly brake when a car with high beams appears behind. Unfortunately, this is incorrect because your tail end will spin out and hit the oncoming vehicle’s front end the moment you brake.
In fact, braking too abruptly is as dangerous as switching lanes without checking if there are oncoming vehicles behind.
2. Avert Eyes
People make a common mistake when thinking that the high beams will not be reflected onto the road and into their vision if they avert their eyes.
However, this is false because you can still see about half of the oncoming vehicle’s front end despite averting your eyes.
3. Faking a Right Turn
People tend to think that they can try to fake a right turn if there is a car behind with high beams. This is false because even for a split second, you will still be blinded by the reflection of the oncoming vehicle’s front end. In fact, it might cause an accident if you suddenly swerve into your original lane.
4. Instantly Switching Lanes
As with braking, people tend to think that they can instantly swerve into a lane with high beams behind. This is incorrect because your car’s front end might be hit by the oncoming vehicle if you suddenly swerved into its path. In addition, you will have about half of your vision blocked by your car’s roof because you are now sitting in a lower position.
5. Driving Slow
People tend to think that driving slow is the best way to avoid high beams from behind; however, this is incorrect because if you drive too slowly and suddenly switch lanes without checking for oncoming traffic, there might be a chance of an accident.
How Do You Deal With High Beams Behind You?
Everyone who drives on the roads at night has encountered those annoying high beams coming from behind. You know that feeling you get when they hit your eyes and don’t seem to go away? It’s enough to drive a sane person crazy!
As a driver, you want to protect yourself from the discomfort of these bright lights and protect your vision and the safety of other drivers. Unfortunately, high beams can also damage your vehicle’s lights, especially if they are aimed directly into the lens.
Is It Dangerous to Tilt Your Rearview Mirror When Driving?
Everyone who has driven a car for any length of time is aware that there are many things that can block your view while driving, but few would think of the rearview mirror itself.
So if you’re wondering why some people tilt their mirrors upward when they drive at night, it’s because the headlights of the cars behind them shine directly into their rearview mirror, making it difficult to see anything.
How to Position Mirrors to Reflect Light in Cars?
Optimizing the position of your vehicle’s mirrors is important for maximizing their reflective capabilities and ensuring you have a clear view of the road. Mirrors should be placed at least 10 inches away from the driver, angled slightly outward to capture more light. The side-view mirror should also be tilted slightly downward so that it captures a wider range of vision. Consider sticking on reflective accessories or window tinting to help improve visibility in dimly lit areas at night.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Turn Off High Beam Lights?
There are a few ways to turn off high beam lights, depending on the car model. Some cars have a switch near the front or rearview mirror, while other cars may have a button on the dashboard. Generally speaking, turning off high beam will reduce the brightness of the headlights, making them less noticeable to oncoming traffic.
Can High Beam Lights Be Adjusted?
Yes, high beam lights can be adjusted. This is typically done to ensure that the light is focused where it is needed most, and to avoid blinding oncoming drivers. Adjustments can be made in the settings of the headlight or turn signal, depending on which one is being used.
What is the Rule for Headlights High Beams?
The Rule for Headlights High Beams is an important safety rule that all drivers should know. According to the Rule, drivers should always use low beams when driving with their headlights on high beams, unless there is a specific reason to use high beams (such as when visibility is reduced due to dense fog, rain, or snow). The Rule helps to reduce the risk of being blinded by the intense light emitted by headlamps, and it also helps to reduce the risk of being involved in a collisions with other vehicles.
Are High Beams Brighter or Just Higher?
High beams are typically brighter than standard beams, because they send more light down to the road. This is because high beams allow vehicles to travel at higher speeds on roads with limited visibility, while still being able to see obstacles in front of them.
Conclusion
While it is illegal to use a device to reflect high beams back at oncoming drivers, there are still steps you can take to protect yourself while driving. If an oncoming driver is shining their high beams in your direction, try putting your car in park and turning off the engine. This will help reduce the glare from the headlights.
You can also try wearing sunglasses or using a sun visor to block the light. Finally, if all else fails, pull over to the side of the road until the car passes. We hope this blog post on how to reflect high beams back has given you some helpful insights. By following these tips, you can help reduce the amount of glare and light pollution caused by oncoming headlights.