# What's the Deal with Headlights on/Taillights off? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 7, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-headlights-on-taillights-off/343450 "2006-02-07T20:36:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-headlights-on-taillights-off/343450/61 "2016-02-01T07:33:15Z")
Good gawd - the instant proclamation that “Technology will save us from ourselves”\*. Amazing. Just for giggles, I’ll let you in on a mindset from not too long ago: “It’s just another damned thing to go wrong!” It was used to describe power windows (I’ll let the reader speculate on how that was done in 1953), power brakes, air conditioning (ibid, 1953). You’ll never guess why Ford’s “Retractable Hardtop” didn’t set the world on fire. The silly Tesla door handles are the ultimate of “just begging for trouble”. - - now Extra **Fortified** with “Cloud” processing! ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-headlights-on-taillights-off/343450/62 "2016-02-01T09:10:25Z")
FWIW (anecdotal evidence, I know) my tail-lights come on automatically when I switch on my headlights. However, for quite a while apparently I was driving with both tail-lights off. Both bulbs burned out, and I had absolutely no idea that they were out. It was only by pure happenstance that I found out about it. So, I can perfectly imagine somebody driving around with their tail-lights off, but being unaware of the fact. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-headlights-on-taillights-off/343450/63 "2016-02-01T14:41:22Z")
Right. My car has a panel light that tells me if I have a taillight out (but not WHICH one). All cars in the US these days have the taillights go on when you turn on the parking lights or main headlights. In the cars I’ve driven with auto-mode lights it is a setting I get to choose and I mostly just set them to operate manually (in part because I still can’t get used to lights staying on for a time after I shut the car off and walk away.) ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-headlights-on-taillights-off/343450/64 "2016-02-01T15:11:05Z")
> [@YogSothoth](#): > > Its necessary at night and safer but unnecessary in the day. At night, you live with the consequences because someone’s light is too bright or at your eye level. But in the day, we don’t need them. Turn off your lights in the day How often do you drive on 2-lane county/state highways where the speed limit is 55? Many have signs up specifically asking drivers to put on their headlights during the day because it makes it easier for drivers who want/need to pass to see oncoming traffic. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-headlights-on-taillights-off/343450/65 "2016-02-01T18:35:29Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > (Zombiehood of thread acknowledged.) Several people have referred to studies showing significant safety enhancement. In my personal experience, on bright days a car can emerge from a shadow, and seem to be appearing out of nowhere. This only happens about once every 8 years, but it’s scary enough that I always try to have headlights or DRLs on whenever I drive. Like you said, it doesn’t happen that much, and cars in shadow aren’t exactly invisible, so you can see them. Plus, you’d have to merge at exactly the right time at exactly the right place in order for this to even be an issue, and the other car would have to be driving too fast and ignoring you to perfectly time slamming into you while hidden in the shadows. I agree its safer, but not by much, and not enough to make a difference. > [@SmellMyWort](#): > > How often do you drive on 2-lane county/state highways where the speed limit is 55? Many have signs up specifically asking drivers to put on their headlights during the day because it makes it easier for drivers who want/need to pass to see oncoming traffic. Around here, most highways are at least 3 lanes, 65mph, and with no surrounding shadows except for bridges. I don’t see any signs saying headlights should be on during the day at all, though I’ll admit I don’t exactly look for them. If they are there, I don’t notice them ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-headlights-on-taillights-off/343450/66 "2016-02-01T18:54:01Z")
> [@YogSothoth](#): > > But in the day, we don’t need them. Turn off your lights in the day Why do you want people to die? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-headlights-on-taillights-off/343450/67 "2016-02-01T23:05:55Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Why do you want people to die? Many reasons 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-headlights-on-taillights-off/343450.md?page=3)