Fog lights vs headlights

Fog lights and low-beam headlights are both essential for safe driving in different conditions, but they serve distinct purposes:

Fog lights

They are designed to provide a wide, bar-shaped beam of light with a sharp cutoff at the top to prevent reflection off the fog, which can cause glare.

Fog lights are positioned lower on the vehicle to illuminate the road directly in front of the vehicle, enhancing visibility close to the ground where fog typically does not settle.

The light from fog lights is often white, yellow, or amber to improve visibility in foggy or misty conditions.

Low-beam Headlights

These are the standard headlights used for normal night driving conditions.

Low beams provide a broad light pattern to illuminate the road ahead without blinding oncoming traffic.

They are designed to light up the road for a distance of about 200 feet and are suitable for use in most driving conditions, including city driving and driving in traffic4.

It’s important to use fog lights only in low-visibility conditions such as fog, snow, or heavy rain, as they can be too bright or distracting in clear conditions. On the other hand, low-beam headlights should be used from dusk till dawn and whenever visibility is reduced, such as during rain or on poorly lit roads.