For most people, it's really not exactly clear what parking lights are actually for, or why they're called 'parking lights' (they're also more rarely called 'front position lamps'). Sort of like Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) for cars that pre-date DRLs. Though, really, even that use is pretty uncommon.
Any vehicle 80 or more inches in width must contain at least 1 amber clearance lamp on each side and at least 1 red clearance lamp on each side, as well as at least 2 amber and 2 red side-marker lamps on each side, and must carry at least 3 red emergency reflectors.
The purpose of fog lights is to make you more visible to other drivers, rather than to improve your own visibility. They are usually located lower on the car than your headlights in order to be visible below the fog line. They are usually yellow or amber to draw attention to the vehicle.
Side markers are auxiliary lights found on the sides of a vehicle's body. Also called “side marker lights,” they show the position and distance of the vehicle's sides to other drivers on the road.
Parking lights are another light on the front of a vehicle. They can be mounted in the front bumper, the grille, or to the body itself. Sometimes parking lights flash when you flick the turn signal switch on the steering column, sometimes they light up with the headlights, and sometimes they do both.
Side marker lights are illumination devices attached to the front and rear sides of motorized vehicles and trailers. They function as auxiliary safety lights that can be seen by other drivers when the vehicle operator turns on the headlights.
In the United States, amber front and red rear side marker lamps and retroreflectors are required. The law initially required lights or retroreflectors on vehicles manufactured after 1 January 1968. Side markers are permitted but not required on cars and light passenger vehicles outside the United States and Canada.
Corner lights—also called cornering lights—are said to be the most unappreciated of all automotive lights. Corner lights are usually located near your vehicle's front fenders—although sometimes, these lights can also be found in the rear.
Do use full beams at night on an empty stretch of road or motorway. But make sure you switch back to dipped headlights when you see another car coming towards you on the other side of the road or driving ahead of you in the same direction. Don't use your full beam headlights in daytime even if visibility is poor.
Dashboard Headlight Symbols – Are Your Lights On?
- High Beam Indicator Light. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
- Low Beam Indicator Light. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
- Fog Light Indicator Light. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
- Side Light Indicator Lights. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Don't use high-beam headlights. They won't shine through the fog but just reflect the light back in your eyes, making it worse for you and other drivers. Use low-beams. In really dense fog, use front fog lights in addition to your low-beams if you have them.
Dipped lights are the brightest lights your car has that won't dazzle other road users. Therefore, as a rule to remember, always use them when visibility is poor e.g at dusk or night time, and in bad weather. Move up to main beam headlights when you cannot see any other road users in front of you.
When you cannot see farther than 200 feet using low-beams, you should switch to high-beams, unless:
- Another vehicle is within 200 feet and approaching you from the opposite direction.
- You are less than 200 feet behind another vehicle.
- Heavy rain, fog, or snow are present.
They are Front Side Marker Lights.
Side light bulbs create the small, white, dim lights that you will find on the front corners of your car.
If there are four headlight elements (two on each side), chances are good that you have separate high and low beams. If you only have two headlight elements (one per side), then your vehicle uses a dual filament bulb to operate both the high and low beams.
15 Common Warning Lights on Your Car's Dashboard
- Oil Pressure Light.
- Tire Pressure Warning Light.
- Engine Temperature Warning.
- Traction Control Light.
- Anti-lock Brake Warning Light.
- Traction Control Malfunction.
- Engine Warning (Check Engine Light)
- Battery Alert.
The 13 Most Common Car Warning Lights You Need to Know
- Steering Lock. Steering lock is an essential theft-prevention feature in a vehicle.
- The Battery Light. The battery light is an indication that your charging system isn't working properly.
- Adaptive Headlight System.
- Airbag and Seat Belt System.
- Windshield Washer Fluid.
- Anti-Lock Brake System.
- Automatic Gearbox.
- Brake Lights.
Checking your headlights is fairly simple and you can do it yourself. Turn your car on and switch on the headlights. Walk around to the front of the vehicle and make sure the lights are working. Both should be bright.
What Do the Dashboard Lights in Your Car Mean?
- Check Engine Light. Ihor Kashurin / Getty Images.
- Engine Coolant Temperature Light. vchal / Getty Images.
- Transmission Fluid Temperature Light. Romanovskyy / Getty Images.
- Engine Oil Pressure Light. Photoplotnikov / Getty Images.
- Engine Oil Change Light.
- Battery Warning Light.
- Tire Pressure Warning Light.
- Brake Warning Light.
The dash lights coming on and vehicle shutting down are, most likely, related to a charging system problem. It's fairly common for all the dash lights to come on with no alternator output, low voltage can cause unusual electrical issues. The alternator should have been tested at the time of battery replacement.
Fog lights are just that, for fog, not regular running lights. You should get a ticket for the headlight AND using your fog lights (unless it's foggy).
Tail light and brake light are the same bulb.
The different types of lights on a carUp front, there are usually five types of light. The sidelights which can be used when visibility is slightly reduced, but not to the point when dipped headlights are necessary.
In many parts of the world and in many US states, it is illegal to drive with only the parking lights illuminated. Most manufacturers wire the parking lights to illuminate along with the headlights, so that if a headlight bulb burns out, there is some sort of lighting to show the size of the vehicle.
In practice, overnight is usually fine. Chances are if you have a good battery and a reliable engine that doesn't need to much effort to crank, you should be ok even after 10 or 12 hours. If your battery is well into it's second or third year, I would worry about using parking lights more than four or five hours.
Most cars in the U.S. have red turn signals, while you often see amber ones in other countries. The U.S. allows amber turn signals, but doesn't require them.
When such an installation is used, all of the clearance lamps on the side except the one at or near the rear must have an amber lens. The side marker lamps on the side at or near the rear must have a red lens.
