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Lights play a crucial role when we drive at night. Everyone knows what driving lights and high beams are, as well as how and when to use them. But do you know what side marker lights are? What’s the difference between side marker lights and low beams? And how should they be used?

Side marker lights—literally, “shi” means to warn or alert, and “kuo” refers to outline or contour—so side marker lights are vehicle lights that serve as warning signals, designed to alert other drivers to the presence of your vehicle. They’re typically installed along the edges of the car’s roof, effectively indicating both the vehicle’s height and width.

General regulations stipulate that vehicles with a height exceeding three meters must be equipped with clearance lights, and vehicles with a width greater than 2.10 meters must also be fitted with such lights.

Low-beam headlights, designed for close-range illumination, are characterized by a wide beam angle (160°) and a short illumination distance—typically around 30 to 40 meters.

Under what circumstances are parking lights required?

1. When driving in foggy conditions, due to reduced visibility and blurred vision, you need to turn on both the fog lights and the side marker lights. This will provide other road users with a clear warning signal.

2. On rainy or overcast days, it still serves as a warning—alerting both the vehicle ahead and the one behind—to help minimize the risk of injury.

3. When driving at night, you must turn on the position lights. According to traffic regulations, when driving at night, you must also turn on the rear brake lights and position lights to alert vehicles behind you.

4. Driving in the evening is the most challenging, as there are no streetlights and the car headlights aren't very bright. However, for safety reasons, you still need to turn on your side marker lights so that other vehicles can see you more easily.

The illumination range of low-beam headlights is approximately 30 to 40 meters. According to experiments, when driving at 55 kilometers per hour at night and immediately applying the brakes upon spotting a hazard, the stopping distance is exactly 30 meters. In other words, when driving at night within the illumination range of low-beam headlights, the safe braking distance for promptly avoiding an obstacle is 30 meters, and the vehicle speed must not exceed 55 km/h.

When driving at night with low-beam headlights, the vehicle speed should generally be kept below 40 km/h.

1. On roads without a central divider or centerline, when meeting oncoming vehicles at night, switch to low-beam headlights at least 150 meters before the approaching vehicle. When passing other vehicles on narrow roads or narrow bridges, or when encountering non-motorized vehicles, also use low-beam headlights.

2. When a motor vehicle is driving at night without streetlights, with poor lighting, or in conditions of low visibility such as fog, rain, snow, sandstorms, or hail, the following vehicle traveling in the same direction must use its low-beam headlights when following closely behind the vehicle ahead.

3. When a motor vehicle is passing sharp curves, slopes, arch bridges, crosswalks, or intersections without traffic signal control at night, it shall alternately use its high and low beam headlights to signal its intentions.

4. When driving at night through sections with good lighting conditions, drivers should use their low-beam headlights.