Your car has plenty of lights, and many of them are a legal requirement, there are several that you can add or modify for aesthetic purposes. All the different car lights in a car are there for a specific function.
Generally, you use car lights to light the road ahead, improve your visibility to other drivers, and indicate your turning intentions. Also, your car has lights for warning others when your vehicle becomes a hazard and illuminating the cabin when you need to see inside.
In this guide, you'll better understand the different kinds of lights your car has and when to use them correctly.
Keep reading!
How Many Lights Does a Car Have?
There is a long list of different lights in a car, and that number can differ depending on the vehicle’s design. Besides that, several of a car’s lights can also serve more than one purpose, so counting them all is not as straightforward.
Different Categories of Car Lights According to Function
What we’ll do instead, is simplify things and categorise car lights according to their functions. These categories are lights that –
- illuminate the road
- increase visibility
- indicate turning intentions
- warn others of hazards
- illuminate the interior
Different Car Lights & Their Uses
Let’s look at the many lights in your car and when you should use them.
Car Lights that Illuminate the Road
Ask anyone to guess what car lights do. Most people will tell you that they’re there to light the way so the driver can see the road clearly, especially in the dark.
That’s entirely true, and it explains the first type of lights you’ll find on a car. These are the lights you’ll use when you want to light up the road in front or behind your vehicle:
- Headlights – These are on the vehicle’s front, and they light the road in front of the car. You can get them in several bulbs like xenon and LED car lights. Typically, you can toggle your headlights to create low or high beams as needed.
- Fog lights – The fog lights in a car will help you see the road, particularly in overcast conditions. You'll find them directly below your headlights.
- Reverse Lights – You also have the reverse lights on the vehicle's rear. These only come on when you switch the car into its reverse gear. They illuminate the back of the vehicle, making it easier for you to reverse (when parking, for example). It also lets people know that your car is reversing, so they can stay away and keep themselves safe.
Lights That Increase Your Car’s Visibility
These lights improve your car’s visibility to other road users, and that way, other vehicles can safely drive around it.
These lights are often less powerful and bright than those in the previous section. The reason is obvious - they’re there for other drivers to see them and not to project light onto the road.
The lights you’ll use to increase your visibility on the road are:
- Taillights – They on the tail or the back of your car. They turn on whenever the vehicle is on but are slightly brighter when you switch your headlights. The taillights allow drivers behind you to see your car and keep a safe distance from it. Check this to replace your taillights.
- Daytime Running Lights – These days, many cars come with daytime running lights as a standard feature. These lights are on the front of your vehicle, typically under or around your regular headlights. They turn on so that other drivers coming from the opposite direction will better see your car.
- Undercar Lights – Undercar lights are typically an aesthetic feature for people who modify their cars. These lights come in various colours; some can even change colours on-demand. These lights also increase a car’s visibility by illuminating its entire underside, allowing people to quickly gauge the vehicle’s size and shape from afar.
Lights to Indicate Turning Intentions
Of course, cars don’t just go forwards or backwards. They also turn to the left and right. That can be dangerous on the road if other drivers are clueless when you’re about to turn.
That’s why cars also have signal lights. These lights are yellow, located on either side of the front, rear, and side of the car’s body.
You must activate these lights to indicate to other drivers which side your car will be turning. That way, they can slow down or give way as needed, and everyone remains safe.
Lights for Sending a Warning or Caution
Cars are well-engineered machines that travel at high speeds. Unfortunately, that also means they can pose a danger to themselves and other vehicles on the road.
That’s why your car has several car lights to warn you and other drivers on the road of any hazards. They include:
- Brake Lights - Whenever your foot presses the brake pedal, the red brake lights on the back of your car will turn on. Those lights warn others that your vehicle is slowing down. That will give them a chance to slow down or switch to a different lane if necessary.
- Hazard Lights - You must use your hazard lights to indicate your car is stopping on the road. They're the same as your signal lights, but they'll flash together instead of flashing on either side. Other drivers will understand those blinking lights mean your vehicle is a hazard.
- Warning Lights in a Car - Of course, your car also has several small warning lights on the instrument panel. These lights are only for your benefit as the driver since no one else can see them. For example, the fuel gauge will start flashing when your vehicle is running low on fuel.
Lights to Illuminate the Cabin
Last but not least, let’s not forget the interior car lights. You'll use these to light up your cabin when you need to see inside the car. Naturally, you'll use them mostly at night and when you stop the vehicle.
You also can purchase aftermarket lights for your car's interior. For instance, many people invest in coloured LEDs to make the cabin more aesthetically pleasing.
Car lights are the kinds of parts you can safely buy even when they’re second-hand. Check out the Marketplace at CarPart AU to get replacement car lights at affordable prices!
By Ray Hasbollah