When will driving with headlights on be stopped?

You can no longer turn on low beam headlights during the day in Russia from April 1 - true or not?

Low beam during the day

New laws regarding car headlights and external lighting devices in general have not been introduced in our country for a long time. But just recently, there was an alleged change in the current traffic rules - low beam headlights in the daytime in Russia now don’t have to be turned on, at least in the summer. According to various sources, the new norms will come into force on April 1, 2018. Is it true? We have figured out all the changes to the Rules and other regulations!

What's happened?

In mid-March 2018, the network was overwhelmed with news that supposedly another change would come into force on April 1: the obligation to turn on headlights during the day in Russia was abolished. There are no references either to the initiators of the bill or to the official documents amending the traffic rules. And the news was spread mainly through Telegram and WhatsApp messengers.

According to the innovation, in our country, from April 1, there is no obligation to turn on headlights during daylight hours - specifically low beam and even daytime running lights. That is, something happened to clause 19.5 of the traffic rules, which reads:

, low-beam headlights or daytime running lights must be turned on on all moving vehicles for the purpose of identifying them .

According to various sources, the new law has the following types:

• According to the change, it is allowed not to turn on low beam headlights during the day only in the summer or snowless seasons - from April 1 to September 30 of each year. The reasoning is simple: in summer the daylight hours are much longer than in winter, therefore there is simply no need to use lighting devices;
• You don’t have to turn on the low beams, but daytime running lights are definitely necessary - a strange statement, in fact, because today, even without changes to the traffic rules, this is prescribed;
• In Russia, headlights on have been completely abolished during the daytime - that is, in any season on any car you can not use external lighting devices (except for turn signals, of course) during the day.

This is true?

No. It is not true. Low beam headlights or DRLs still need to be turned on during daylight hours. No new laws regarding external lighting devices have been introduced since April 1, 2018. even back in 2014. And changes specifically regarding light are not planned.

How can you prove it?

Everything is very simple. There are 2 possible “proofs”.

Official publication of changes

Since the traffic rules are formally a by-law approved by a decree of the Russian Government, changes are introduced by the relevant resolutions. And it’s easy to prove that there were no changes regarding lighting devices, knowing how the regulations come into force:

1. the resolution is introduced for discussion and adopted,
2. further, the published change must be published on one of the official websites of legal information, and these are regulated by Presidential Decree No. 763 of May 23, 1996 on the procedure for the entry into force of legislative acts.

Paragraph 2 of this Decree tells us the following:

2. Acts of the President of the Russian Federation and acts of the Government of the Russian Federation are subject to official publication within 10 days after the day of their signing in Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the Collection of Legislation of the Russian Federation and on the Official Internet Portal of Legal Information (www.pravo.gov.ru ) , the functioning of which is ensured by the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.

Accordingly, by going to these sites we will not find any official resolutions on changing the rules for daytime driving without low beam headlights from April 1, 2018:

• not on the Rossiyskaya Gazeta website,
• nor on the legal information website.

What's the truth?

They were allowed to drive during the day without headlights - this is the truth. But not in Russia. The corresponding decree was issued by the authorities of Transnistria, an unrecognized state of the Moldavian Republic. 2 years ago

How this news suddenly spread to Russian traffic regulations remains a mystery. But the fact remains - in Transnistria, indeed, from April 1 to September 30, you can not turn on low beam headlights during the day (video about this below), but Russian traffic rules in this regard have not changed.

Revisions of traffic regulations

Another argument against changes in the Traffic Rules is the edition of the traffic rules. With each change, a new edition comes into force. Today, the most up-to-date database on them is contained on the Consultant Plus website. And here you will find 3 editions: one that entered into legal force on March 18, 2018, and 2 more that are pending.

But most importantly, none of them has in the list of changes section 19 of the traffic rules, which specifically concerns lighting devices.

1. the edition, which came into force on March 18, made reflective vests mandatory,
2. the second will take effect on April 28 and marks the appearance of waffle markings at intersections,
3. the third – from July 1 and will regulate the environmental class of cars.

As you can see, no changes have been introduced to the traffic rules since April 1, 2018, and you still need to turn on your headlights during the day.

How should we use lighting devices today?

So, the traffic rules today regulate the following rules for the use of headlights.

Night time:

• low or high beam (see below conditions when you cannot use high beam) when driving,
• near and/or rear PTFs together with dimensions when parking on unlit sections of roads (it is not necessary to turn on the near ones, but the dimensions are required),
• only on unlit roads and only together with a neighbor or a distant driver.

Insufficient visibility (fog, rain, etc.):

• low or high beam (see below conditions when you cannot use high beam) when driving,

Daylight hours (any of the following):

There is no need to turn on the taillights during the day.

Tunnels:

• low or high beam (see below for conditions when high beam cannot be used).

When not to use high beam headlights:

• on an illuminated road in populated areas,
• closer than 150 meters from oncoming traffic,
• further than 150 meters from the oncoming traffic, if the driver of the oncoming car blinks his headlights,
• in any case where you may blind drivers.

Direct blinding of pedestrians by distant traffic regulations is not prohibited.

What is the fine if you drive during the day without headlights?

If you drive on December 06, 2019 without any lights at all - regardless of whether it is low beam lights, DRLs or fog lights, then you will face a fine of 500 rubles. This is provided for by the only article in the Code of Administrative Offenses - 12.20, which provides for penalties for any violations of the use of lighting devices - be it the absence of light during the day or the failure to turn on turn signals during maneuvers.

Rules for using car lights

Good afternoon, dear reader.

This article will review the rules of the road that apply to the use of vehicle headlights and lights in various driving situations.

Lighting devices are designed both to illuminate the road ahead of the car (to avoid collision with an obstacle) and to indicate the car itself (to avoid collision with other vehicles).

Unfortunately, many drivers do not know the rules for using headlights and flashlights, and therefore do not use all the opportunities provided to them.

External car lights

At the beginning of this article, a few words about what external lighting devices a car may have. This information is primarily intended for those who are studying at a driving school and do not yet understand what these or other headlights or lanterns are intended for.

Note. The topic “lighting devices” is one of the most difficult in a driving school, because... It is difficult for a driver candidate who has never driven before to remember the similar names of light devices and the rules for their use.

parking lights

Dimensions are small light devices located approximately at the corners of the car (4 pieces in total). They do not shine very brightly and are primarily designed so that drivers of other cars can understand in the dark where your car begins and ends.

As a rule, the car is designed in such a way that when you turn on the low or high beam headlights, the dimensions turn on automatically. That is, low beam without side lights does not work.

Daytime Running Lights

DRLs are light devices in the front of the car (2 pieces), which shine quite brightly. They are designed to improve visibility of the car from the front during daylight hours.

Daytime running lights should not be used at night because... at night, they can blind oncoming drivers due to their high brightness. However, they do not illuminate the road.

In 2020, most cars are equipped with daytime running lights, but such lights are quite rare on cars manufactured before 2010.

Low and high beam headlights

Low beam (2 bulbs) and high beam (2 bulbs) headlights are the main lighting devices that are designed to illuminate the road in front of the car.

In this case, the low beam illuminates the area directly in front of the car, and the high beam illuminates a more distant area. It makes sense to use low beam at low speeds, high beam at higher speeds.

Fog lights

PTF - 2 headlights in the front bumper of a car, designed to illuminate the road in poor visibility conditions.

Fog lights are optional for 2019, so not all vehicle trim levels have them. That is, the car may not have PTF.

Fog light

Fog light - a red light at the rear of the vehicle, designed to improve visibility of the vehicle in poor visibility conditions. This light device is very bright and in good weather it can blind drivers of cars behind.

This lamp is required to be installed on all cars.

Driving during daylight hours

In good visibility

When driving during daylight hours, the vehicle must have one of the following lights on:

• low beam;
• Daytime Running Lights;
• fog lights;

If the car has all the listed devices, then it makes sense to use DRL. These lights are brighter and use less electricity.

When driving, the following can also be turned on:

In case of insufficient visibility

One of the following lighting fixtures must be used:

• low beam headlights;
• high beam headlights.

In this case, the main beam cannot be used:

• in populated areas on illuminated roads;
• when oncoming vehicles pass;
• when blinding drivers of passing or oncoming cars.

Additionally, the car may include:

• fog lights;
• fog lamp;
• parking lights;
• Daytime Running Lights.

Note. The rear fog light is specifically designed for use in conditions of poor visibility, but in practice no more than 10 percent of drivers use it. The rest, apparently, do not know the relevant rules.

Driving in the dark

One of the following lighting fixtures must be used:

• low beam headlights;
• high beam headlights.

In this case, the main beam cannot be used:

• in populated areas on illuminated roads;
• when oncoming vehicles pass;
• when blinding drivers of passing or oncoming cars.

Additionally you can use:

• fog lights;
• fog lamp (only in case of poor visibility);
• parking lights.

Traffic in the tunnel

When moving in a tunnel, regardless of the presence of lighting, one of the following lighting devices must be turned on:

• low beam headlights;
• high beam headlights.

Additionally may be included:

• parking lights;
• fog lights;
• Daytime Running Lights.

• rear fog lamp (except in conditions of poor visibility).

Stopping and parking a car

At night on an unlit road

Must be included:

Other lighting devices can be used.

In case of insufficient visibility (during dark or daylight)

Must be included:

Other lights, including the rear fog lamp, may be used.

Rules for using lighting devices

The rules for using headlights and flashlights in various situations are discussed in detail above, but remembering them is not so easy. Therefore, we will consider them in a more compact form.

• use the rear fog lamp when visibility is good;
• use high beams in populated areas on illuminated roads, when passing oncoming traffic, when blinding passing or oncoming drivers;
• do not use low or high beams at night, with insufficient visibility, in a tunnel;
• do not use DRLs, low beams or PTF during the day;
• Do not use clearance when parking in poor visibility conditions or on an unlit section of the road at night.

All other options and combinations of lighting devices are not a violation.

In conclusion, let me remind you that fines for improper use of lighting devices are discussed in a separate article:

Why do most drivers stop turning on low beam headlights?

Recently I noticed a trend of headlights being turned on on the roads of our country.
As it turned out later, many drivers began to notice that their headlights were on while driving. For some reason, some motorists began to ignore the rules and decided to no longer turn on the lights during the day when driving. Once upon a time, a rule appeared in the traffic rules, which required the use of background optics while the vehicle was moving.
This was dictated by increased road safety. A huge number of cars on the roads. High speed limits. All this really takes away a percentage of security. In addition, not all motorists have perfect vision. And the viewing angle of some car models leaves much to be desired. Surely most drivers have had cases when an overtaking car emerged from the blind spot like a jack-in-the-box. However, the color of such cars is usually dark or gray. It can be difficult to notice a dark car on the asphalt if the weather conditions leave much to be desired. Overall, the running lights really made life much easier while driving. Of course, no one talks about the service life of lighting devices, or rather lamps. However, safety is still more important. So why did some drivers begin to neglect safety? This is all because of the information shared by some publications last year. According to these news sources, there were supposed to be changes in the traffic rules, which supposedly should abolish driving with running lights on during the daytime. The information turned out to be unreliable. Many drivers took this at face value, without bothering to check the authenticity of the rumors, and stopped turning on their headlights. In fact, the information did exist, but it was taught in a seriously distorted way. The rules have just changed. Now you can use more than just your low beam when driving. Fog lights can also be used as daytime running lights, if this is more convenient for the driver. That's all. About the same thing some time ago was the case with tinting, or rather with the bans on it. As practice shows, traffic police officers do not pay too much attention to the lack of light during the day when driving, that is, they have stopped punishing for this. That’s why many people simply stopped turning on the lights, saving the life of the lamps in the front car optics.

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The requirement to drive with headlights on has been removed

Photo: Shukhrat Latipov / Gazeta.uz

The government, less than two months later, abolished (until 2021) the requirement to use low-beam headlights during the day. Vehicles equipped with such lights must be driven with DRLs on.

The government of Uzbekistan, by decree of June 4, amended its decree of April 9, which introduced a mandatory requirement for the use of low-beam headlights or fog lights (in the absence of daytime running lights, DRLs) on all vehicles during the daytime. This was reported by the Telegram channel “Legal Information” of the Ministry of Justice.

The government's decision caused wide resonance and dissatisfaction among drivers. Deputies also spoke out that the resolution was unfinished and its implementation was very hasty.

As it became known, after the decision was made, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the Ministry of Justice, carried out an analysis of the new procedure, as a result of which a draft amendment to the document was submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers in early May.

In accordance with the changes, until January 1, 2021, the requirement to turn on daytime running lights or headlights during daylight hours does not apply to vehicles that are not equipped with DRLs that turn on automatically.

From January 1, 2020, manufacturers must install DRLs with automatic activation on domestically produced motor vehicles. Imported cars entering the country must be equipped with daytime running lights starting next year.

The government also ordered the development of amendments to the Code of Administrative Responsibility to reduce the fine for violating the rules for using external lighting devices (currently 101.3 thousand soums).

The use of low beam headlights during daylight hours remains mandatory in the following cases:

• when moving as part of an organized transport convoy;
• on buses and fixed-route vehicles carrying passengers;
• during organized transportation of a group of children;
• when transporting dangerous, large and heavy cargo;
• when towing motor vehicles (on a towing vehicle);
• on motorcycles and mopeds.

Note that before the introduction of the requirement to drive with headlights on, traffic police inspectors regularly tried to fine drivers whose cars had side lights or low beam headlights on during the day for violating the rules for using lighting devices.

Low beam headlights during the day from June 2019: do you need to turn them on?

Information about changes in traffic rules from June 6, 2019 is widely distributed on the Internet, raising a lot of questions from motorists.

Let us remind you that the traffic rules stipulate the requirement to drive in the daytime with running lights or low beam headlights. However, at present, a number of small news publications have reported the abolition of the obligation for drivers to turn on their low beams during the day, which has raised many questions on the hotline to our lawyers.

Question 1: Do I need to turn on low beam headlights during the daytime from June 2019? I heard that this strange rule was canceled and now you can drive without lights and not be afraid of fines.

Question 2: An inspector stopped me and showed me that I had not turned on the low beam. But this rule does not apply in the summer, or am I misunderstanding something?

Question 3: Is it always necessary to turn on low beam headlights when driving in the daytime, or are there any relaxations and exceptions to this rule?

We figured out where these strange rumors about summer time came from and will give you a comprehensive and competent answer.

What do the traffic rules say, are there any changes since June 6?

And the traffic rules still unambiguously and unconditionally establish in clause 19.5 that during daylight hours, drivers of any moving vehicles are required to use running lights or use low beam headlights to indicate their vehicle.

Below is a paragraph of the rules without distortion.

This means that you are required to drive with low beams or running lights at any time of the year during daylight hours, if the latter are provided for by the design of your car.

Alternatively, drivers can use fog lights in combination with low beam and running lights. Just don’t confuse the classic “dimensions” with running lights.

But where did the rumor about the abolition of low beam headlights come from?

You can travel, but not with us

And the whole point is that on the territory of Belarus from May 25 to June 6, a special event was held due to the end of the school year.

As part of this campaign, all drivers were required to drive with their headlights on even during the daytime, since the Belarusian traffic rules do not require driving with the lights on.

Since June 6, this requirement has lost force in the neighboring Republic, but a number of news publications, without understanding it, interpreted it to our traffic regulations.

The requirement to turn on the lights during the day was also canceled in Uzbekistan - the corresponding provision came into force in June of this year.

We note once again that there have been no changes in Russian traffic regulations regarding the abolition of the obligation to turn on low beams during the day .

Responsibility for driving without low beams

The liability for driving without low beam headlights is quite small - a fine of 500 rubles or a warning established by Art. 12.20 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

To avoid a fine, you can correct the violation on the spot by notifying the traffic police inspector that your headlights are on.

If the headlights do not work, you need to inform that you are aware of the problem and are moving to the place where the problem will be fixed, but this does not guarantee that you will get rid of the fine.

In any case, whether to impose a fine on you or not remains at the discretion of the traffic police inspector.

For more information about liability standards, see the publication “Fine for driving without low beams.”

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