Types Of Car Lights & Their Purposes - A Complete Guide

Things You Will Learn

• Types of car lights & their use purpose
• Which car lights to use when?
• Road rules to follow in the UAE related to car lights
• FAQs

A vehicle, may it be of any sort, is equipped with different types of lights all around and on the inside. These lights serve different purposes depending on their positioning and design. In fact, the availability of aftermarket lights in the UAE’s car market, also gives the option to the new customers, to upgrade their vehicle with different lights. If you are also planning to upgrade your car’s lights, make sure to go through our detailed guide below about the types of car lights and their purposes.

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Types Of Car Lights & Their Use Purpose

Headlights

• Halogen Headlights
  
  Halogen lights are the most common type of headlights as they use reflectors and bulbs to light the road. The bulb used is generally a tungsten filament for construction, and the halogen gas filled inside, resulting in a bright yellow light. Halogen headlights are cheap but offer less illumination in comparison to the other headlights. It is easier to repair or replace a halogen light than other headlights. Also, halogen lights tend to fade over time and produce less illumination.
  
• HID or Xenon Headlights
  
  The HID headlights are a popular type that has been used for decades in luxury and high-end cars. These are brighter than the halogen headlights and offer better spread as well as intensity. Instead of a filament, the HIDs or Xenon lights use Xenon gas that creates a bright white shade of light. HID lights are costly to repair and replace, and they also tend to generate more heat as well as use more energy or battery in the car. HIDs are also known to fade over time due to the excessive heat generation.
  
• LED Headlights
  
  The latest type of headlights are the LEDs. These are not only energy-efficient but they produce a bright illumination in the form of a bright white light. LED lights produce rays via the process of electroluminescence. The LED bulbs use a set of reflectors, similar to the halogen bulbs, to produce illumination. The LED lights are costly to replace or repair but they do not fade over time and produce very less heating as well.
  
• Projector Headlights
  
  Another very popular sort of headlight type are the projector headlights. These use a projector lens that projects the light dissipating from the bulb fitted inside it. Similar to a film projector, the projector lens spreads the light on a broader surface, thus, creating a brighter and precise illumination. Projector headlights can be fitted with halogen, LED, or even HID bulbs, depending on the requirements or budget.

Taillights

Taillights are the lights that are bolted on the rear of a vehicle. These lights produce red illumination, either with the use of a red reflector, or LED bulbs. The purpose of taillights is to indicate the traffic following from the rear, that a vehicle is currently being driven on the road. In the majority of vehicles, taillights get switched on with headlights. However, the latest vehicles or luxury cars have all-time running taillights with LED bulbs.

Stop Lights

As the name suggests, stop lights are used to indicate the rear traffic that the vehicle is using its brakes and coming to a stop. As it is an important indication to alert the traffic, the stop lights are also red in illumination, but brighter than the taillights. Generally, an additional bulb is fitted into the taillights, that illuminates when the driver applies the brakes. In cars and passenger vehicles, a tailgate-mounted stop light is also provided, that acts as a separate stoplight.

Turn Lights or Indicators

Turn signal lights or blinkers are present all around a vehicle. These lights are embedded in the headlights and taillights, turning on whenever the driver gives a signal while changing the direction of the vehicle. The indicator lights are orange in illumination and brighter than the taillights, to ensure proper road safety. The indicators or blinkers, blink at regular intervals, hence indicating the direction change of the vehicle. The turn signal lights are also present either on the front fenders or the ORVMs. The turn signals can be halogen bulbs or LEDs, depending on the vehicle.

Hazard Lights

Hazard lights, as the name suggests, are used in typical hazard situations like in case of a road accident, vehicle breakdown, etc. Hazard lights in a vehicle can be switched on by a red button with a hazard warning logo on it. Hazard lights are all turn indicator lights blinking together, in a sequence, to alert the road users that the vehicle is in a potentially hazardous situation.

Parking Lights

Parking lights are embedded in the main headlamps of a vehicle. These are less bright lights that are used to alert road users that a vehicle is parked. Parking lights are generally used in dim-light situations, as such parking roadside, etc. Parking lights can be switched on by using the light switch of your vehicle, by turning it half-on. Parking lights on the front are less bright than the main headlights but at the rear, parking lights will switch the taillights on. This combination of parking lights is used on all sorts of vehicles.

Reverse Lights

These lights are present at the rear of a vehicle and use a bright white colour. The purpose of these lights is to provide illumination at the rear of a vehicle when it is being reversed. When the driver shifts the vehicle into the reverse gear, these lights get automatically lit, providing illumination on the lower portion of the rear end. Hence, these are one of the most important lights, as these are really helpful in dark situations.

Cabin Lights

On the inside, a vehicle is equipped with numerous small lights, to light the cabin during dark hours. The purpose of these lights is to make sure that the passengers and the driver can easily access all of the buttons and features. These lights include boot lamps, footwell lights, roof lights, ambient lights, switch lights, etc. The cabin lights are very useful for night driving as these enable the use of various functions of the vehicle. Also, these lights can be either halogen or LEDs, depending on the vehicle type. Generally, cheaper vehicles use halogen lights, while premium vehicles are equipped with LEDs & ambient lights that can be changed as per the mood of the passengers or the driver.

Puddle Lights

Puddle lights are small circular lights with or without the manufacturer's emblem, that lit the footwell area on the ground when the door is opened. These lights help illuminate the ground so that the front passengers can see where their feet will land when getting out of the vehicle. Additionally, these lights look aesthetically pleasing, hence manufacturers add these to their premium models. Puddle lights are not bright as these are generally LEDs with a focused reflector lens. These are embedded underneath the ORVMs of a car.

Fog Lights

Fog lights are exterior lights that are small in size but very bright. These lights can be halogen or LEDs depending on the vehicle. The purpose of these lights is to illuminate the lower portion of the road, which is generally not visible during foggy conditions. Extreme foggy conditions are hazardous and drivers generally find it hard to see the road stripes which helps in safe driving. The fog lights illuminate the road stripes, thus, enabling the drivers to easily see where their vehicle is headed, in fog. Fog lights can be on both ends of a vehicle. Usually, the front of a vehicle has two fog lights for better visibility, while the rear is equipped with a single fog light to alert the following traffic by increasing the visibility of the vehicle.

Daytime Running Lights (DRLs)

The daytime running lights or DRLs are used to alert the traffic on the road by increasing the visibility of the vehicle. As the name suggests, these lights get switched on when the vehicle is given the ignition. These lights remain switched on until the vehicle is not switched off, hence, ensuring increased visibility. The DRLs in the early days used to be halogen light, which later shifted to the bright LEDs which are energy-saving as well as brighter. Modern premium cars are nowadays equipped with customizable DRLs, where the driver can select the type of pattern through the infotainment screen, they want their car to have. These lights are present on the front of a car, usually embedded in the headlights or the front bumper, depending on the design.

Light Bars

Light bars are bright LED lights that are fitted as an external accessory to the vehicle. Light bars are used for extremely dark conditions, allowing the driver to see through the tough driving conditions. These lights are generally used for SUVs that are driven through the unknown off-roads. Overlanders and off-road users prefer the light bars on their SUVs like the Nissan Patrol SUV and 4X4 vehicles so that they can easily see the forest, sand, rocks, water crossings, etc. while exploring new terrains. The light bars range from a variety of light colours, including customizable options as well.

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Types Of Car Lights - Which Lights To Use When?

As mentioned above, each vehicle has its own set of lights that are meant for different purposes. While the number of lights can be more in a modern car, there is a basic set of lights that is omnipresent in every vehicle. It is important for us to know which car lights to use when and under what conditions. We explain it below:

• Daytime
  
  During the daytime, the bright light of the sun helps us in not requiring to use any sort of light. However, if you suddenly encounter any sort of shade like a tunnel crossing or a treeline, your car can easily get camouflaged and less visible. Hence, the DRLs are helpful in such conditions. Also, if you enter such situations, make sure to turn on your vehicle's headlights at low beam.
  
• Dawn/Dusk
  
  The majority of the accidents are either caused during dawn or dusk time. It is because of the limited visibility to the human eyes with the sun’s low light. Therefore, a driver must ensure to use their vehicle with the headlights turned on in low beam mode, so that other road users can spot the vehicle as well as see the road clearly.
  
• Night/Dark
  
  Not to mention, the dark driving conditions as such during heavy rainfall or fog, and during the night as well, the driver must use the headlights in the low beam mode or high beam mode, as required. Make sure that all of your lights - headlights & taillights are working properly.
  
• Rainfall
  
  If you are driving under heavy rainfall, make sure that your headlights are turned on to low beam as well as your foglights are switched. Under such conditions, the other drivers must be able to spot your vehicle from as distant as possible. Also, do not use a high beam under such conditions as it will hinder the visibility of other vehicles. Moreover, do not switch on your hazard lights under heavy rainfall as it will implicate other drivers that your car has broken down.
  
• Fog
  
  One of the major hazardous conditions for driving is the fog. Dense fog can easily blind and create extreme fatigue for any driver. The visibility in such conditions is reduced drastically as well as spotting the road stripes and road signs becomes a hefty task. Always use the headlights in the low beam mode as well as the front and rear fog lights (if present) on your vehicle. Make sure that your vehicle is visible as much as possible. Additionally, a reflective tape on the boot of the vehicle can exponentially increase its visibility. Do not use the high beam as it gets refracted by the minute fog particles, thus, creating less visibility for the driver.

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Road Rules To Follow In UAE Related To Car Lights

If you are driving in the UAE, it is mandatory to follow the traffic rules that have been implemented by the authorities for road safety. The lengthy rules and regulations list also includes the use of the car lights in a proper manner. Some of these major rules are as follows:

• A vehicle must use the headlights from dusk to dawn and during low-visibility conditions such as rainfall, fog, etc.
• The use of high-beam headlights is prohibited in the city. Also, the high beams can only be used on the highway but only when there is no oncoming traffic. Moreover, the vehicle moving in the front should be at least 200 meters away while using the high beam.
• Aftermarket lights like bright LEDs and multicolour lights are prohibited. The driver will be fined and black points can be deducted, if found using these lights.
• The driver must use turn signals while turning their vehicle or changing lanes on the highway.
• Headlight flashing should not be done until necessary. The flashing lights in the UAE mean the vehicle is in emergency and it needs a clear way. Do not use the high beam flash to intimidate other drivers as it may lead to serious accidents.A driver can be fined up to AED 500 and 6 black points can be deducted, if found breaking the above-mentioned rules.

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Your Questions, We Answer!

Is there a fine in the UAE for using aftermarket headlights?

Yes, the UAE’s traffic law states that a driver can be fined up to AED 500 and 6 black points on the license if found using aftermarket headlights like the bright white LED lights.

Can I drive with broken lights or improper lights in the UAE?

No, it is illegal to drive a vehicle with improper lights or broken lights in the UAE. A traffic fine of AED 500 and up to 4 black points can be deducted from the driver’s license if found driving with inactive or not working car lights.

Can I use a high beam in the city?

No, it is illegal to use the high beam in the city. High beams can only be used while driving on the highway, and that too when there is no oncoming traffic.

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