The DGT answers: Who is the first driver who should turn off their high beams on a curve?

Car lights are one of the most important safety features when driving on Spanish roads, especially at night, when they become indispensable. Vehicle lighting is crucial to avoiding accidents at night, but it's equally essential to use it correctly, as careless use can cause glare that can also lead to a traffic accident.

One of the times when a collision between two cars can occur when the sun is setting is when negotiating a curve. If two cars are traveling in opposite directions and meet while cornering, these situations can cause both vehicles to become blind, which in turn could lead to a tragedy. Therefore, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has explained to all drivers who should turn off their high beams first in these situations on the road.

High beams on a curve: this is what the DGT says

It's well known to all drivers in Spain that if they drive with their high beams on at night, they must turn them off and turn on their low beams when another vehicle is just a few meters away or if another vehicle is coming in the opposite direction, as this would cause the dreaded glare. This blindness could lead to driving off the road or encroaching into a lane, as the DGT indicates in its digital magazine, so it's vital to act in accordance with the regulations in this regard.

The situation becomes even more complicated when two cars meet head-to-head on a curve on a conventional road or highway, as very few users know who should turn off their high beams first to put the lighting system in "low beam" mode. Therefore, the agency has explained this in its magazine and made it clear who should turn them off first.

Through an infographic, the DGT warns that high beams should be turned off when encountering someone traveling on the wrong road. However, if the vehicle is turning on the right-of-way, the driver who is about to take the curve on the inside should turn them off first. This is because they directly impact the oncoming car, which completely dazzles them.

Those driving on the outside of the curve will aim their headlights outward, so they have much less risk of momentarily blinding other road users. Even so, the agency advises turning off the high beams even if driving on that part of the road, as this will help avoid unexpected incidents, something you absolutely do not want to have while driving at night.