Driving at night is inherently more risky than driving during the day. According to research cited by Car and Driver Magazine, the night-time driving crash rate is approximately three times higher on a per-vehicle mile traveled basis. To drive safely at night, you need proper working lights. In some cases, drivers should use their high beams—but they need to do so in a manner that does not put other people at an increased risk.
State law requires motorists to dim their high beams for oncoming traffic and when following another vehicle. Within this article, our Las Vegas auto accident attorney provides a guide to the high beam laws in Nevada.
Headlights Must Meet Certain Equipment Requirements in Nevada
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) emphasizes that all automobile owners must ensure that their headlights meet state-manded equipment requirements. To lawfully operate after dark or before sunrise in Nevada, a vehicle must have two working headlights. The DMV notes that “ these headlights should be “located at a height of not more than 54 inches or less than 24 inches from the ground.”
Vehicles must have both low and high beam settings. Drivers should ensure that they properly adjust between low beams and high beams considering road conditions and the health, safety, and well-being of other motorists.
High Beams: Understanding the Basics
Simply described, high beams are a type of vehicle headlight setting that provides bright, long-range illumination. They are designed to improve a driver’s visibility of the road ahead during dark conditions, especially on poorly lit roads. Notably, high beams project a more intense and farther-reaching light compared to low beams.
They can be particularly useful on rural or unlit roads. At the same time, high beams can be nearly blinding to oncoming traffic. Drivers in Nevada should adjust their headlights to allow other people to see. Failure to adjust headlights for other traffic creates a very serious safety risk. It could be a violation of the law.
Nevada Traffic Violation: Failure to Dim High Beam
Are you breaking the law by driving with your high beams on in Nevada? You might be. Our state’s traffic code (NRS 484D.215) strictly regulates the use of high beams by motorists. Here is the actual language from the state statute:
- Vehicle Coming in the Opposite Direction: “Whenever a driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within 500 feet, the driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver.”
- Following Another Vehicle (Same Direction): “Whenever the driver of a vehicle follows another vehicle within 300 feet to the rear, the driver shall use a distribution of light permissible under this chapter other than the uppermost distribution of light.”
In other words, you need to turn your high beams off if there is another car coming in the opposite direction and is within 500 feet. For reference, that is slightly less than the length of two football fields. Failure to turn off your high beams could lead to a traffic citation. Here are the penalties:
- A $205 civil fine; and
- Two driver’s license demerit points.
A Driver Who Fails to Dim High Beams May Be Liable for a Resulting Crash
In Nevada, a driver who fails to dim their high beams as required by NRS 484D.215 and causes a crash may be held liable for negligence per se. The legal doctrine applies when a driver’s violation of a specific statute leads to an accident. Negligence is the failure to exercise reasonable care.
For example, imagine that a motorist failed to dim his or her high beams within 300 feet of following another car. Unfortunately, a crash happens. The driver who failed to dim high beams may be legally responsible for the collision. Every nighttime crash in Las Vegas should be thoroughly investigated.
An attorney can help you gather the evidence that you need to prove fault and recover full and fair compensation for your damages.
It is Not Your Imagination: High Beams are Getting Brighter
Does it feel like the headlights have been getting brighter? It’s not your imagination. As reported by The New York Times, high beams are indeed getting brighter as automotive technology advances. While the increase in brightness can enhance visibility for drivers navigating dark roads, it also raises very serious health and safety concerns about glare. Many modern vehicles feature LED/HID lights which are more powerful than more traditional halogen bulbs.
These technologies provide clearer, more efficient lighting but their intensity can be problematic for oncoming traffic. Drivers with bright (strong) high beams must be sure to dim their headlights.
Hurt in a Night Crash in Las Vegas? You Need Compensation for Your Damages
Were you injured in a crash in Las Vegas or elsewhere in Clark County? Do you believe that headlights—high beams or otherwise—were a factor in causing the crash? It is imperative that you can secure full and fair financial compensation for your damages.
Nevada is a fault-based motor vehicle collision state. Injured victims can hold the at-fault party responsible for the full extent of their losses. You may be entitled to recover compensatory damages for:
- Motor vehicle repairs;
- Emergency medical care;
- Hospital bills;
- Other medical costs;
- Physical therapy;
- Loss of wages;
- Diminished earning power;
- Pain and suffering;
- Emotional distress;
- Long-term disability; and
- Wrongful death of a family member.
Get Help From Our Las Vegas Automobile Accident Lawyer Today
At Ace Law Group, our Las Vegas motor vehicle accident attorneys fight hard for justice. If you have any questions about high beam-related crashes, we are here to help. The right attorney can make a big difference.
Contact us right away for a free, no-obligation case review. With a law office in Las Vegas, our lawyers handle car crash claims in Clark County and throughout all of Nevada.