Should I use headlights when it’s raining?

Should your turn your headlights on when it’s raining – even during the day? Here’s what you need to know.

Headlights on cars serve two purposes – they give you, the driver, improved visibility in dark or compromised conditions, but they also make your car more visible to other road users.

RELATED: Is it illegal to flash your headlights to warn of police?

While using headlights at night is second nature to most drivers, it can be more confusing as to when to use your headlights during daylight hours, particularly in wet weather.

Increasingly, the research suggests that headlights and other kinds of vehicle lights, like daytime running lights, can help improve safety on the road – when used correctly.

An April 2023 study from the Monash University Accident Research Centre revealed that the use of daytime running lights (DRLs) can reduce the risk of a crash during daylight hours. 

DRLs are commonly found in more recent car models and are separate to the actual headlights. They’re designed to automatically illuminate during daylight hours to enhance visibility and safety on the road.

But what about your car’s regular headlights? Should you switch them on the second you sense the slightest sprinkle of rain? Here’s what you need to know.

Should I use my headlights in the rain?

Generally speaking, yes, you should use your headlights when it’s raining – as long as it’s not in a manner that could dazzle or distract other drivers.

In fact, under certain circumstances, drivers who fail to use their headlights in wet weather could face penalties.

“Drivers in Queensland are required to use low-beam headlights during the day if weather conditions are hazardous and cause reduced visibility. This can include rain, fog or smoke,” Joel Tucker, the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland’s (RACQ) Manager of Road Safety and Technical, told Drive.

“In Queensland, the fine for not having your vehicle’s lights on at night or in hazardous conditions is $154 and one demerit point.”

It’s not necessarily the amount of rain falling that determines whether or not you need to use your headlights, but rather how much visibility you have – which can come down to personal discretion.

“Under Queensland road rules, drivers can turn on their low-beam headlights whenever they like to improve visibility,” Mr Tucker said.

“Turning on your headlights in bad weather not only helps you see better, but also makes you more visible to other road users, especially to drivers of larger trucks, buses and vans who rely heavily on their mirrors to see other motorists and can cause large amounts of spray in wet conditions.”

Using headlights at night is second nature, but what about correct use during daylight hours?

Meanwhile, South Australia’s Driver’s Handbook states: “When driving between sunset and sunrise or in hazardous weather conditions, when rain, dust or fog cause reduced or poor visibility, your vehicle’s headlights, rear lights and number plate light must be turned on.

“It is an offence to drive a vehicle displaying only parking lights during these times.”

Other states have a similar rule to Queensland and South Australia: you must turn your headlights on between sunset and sunrise, or any other time when visibility is reduced.

Of course, always be wary of other road users as incorrect headlight use – for example, failure to dip your high beams within 200 metres of another car – could result in a fine.

“Standard headlights and high beams are vital to how visible you are – however using your vehicle lights incorrectly can make it difficult for other drivers to see,” a spokesperson from Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning told Drive.

“Motorists should take care and always drive to the conditions – headlights must be on in hazardous conditions where there is reduced visibility.”

When in doubt, turn your headlights on as soon as you feel visibility is reduced to help keep yourself and other road users safe.

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