Which lights should you have on when driving on the motorway at night with other vehicles just ahead?

Which lights should you h… — Dipped headlights

The answer options

Sidelights
Front fog lights
Main-beam headlights
Dipped headlightsCorrect

Why the other options are wrong

“Sidelights” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which dipped headlights does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
“Front fog lights” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which dipped headlights does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.
“Main-beam headlights” is a distractor. It does not meet the standard the question is testing, which dipped headlights does. Picking it in the real test costs a mark you cannot get back, and with a pass mark of 43 out of 50 you only have seven to spare.

Why that is the answer

The Highway Code states that you must use dipped headlights when driving at night behind another vehicle. This ensures you can see the road ahead clearly without dazzling the driver in front through their mirrors. Main-beam headlights would dazzle other drivers, while sidelights do not illuminate the road adequately. Fog lights are only for severely reduced visibility.

What vehicle handling covers

· Front and rear fog lights and the 100-metre visibility rule
· Descending steep hills in a lower gear and engine braking
· Traffic calming, humps, and driving over tram rails
· Night driving, dipped headlights and dazzle from oncoming traffic

Mistakes learners repeat on this topic

· Leaving rear fog lights on after visibility improves
· Coasting downhill in neutral to save fuel
· Using full beam on a lit motorway or behind another vehicle
· Accelerating between speed humps instead of holding a steady speed

Instructor tip: Any question with fog in it usually turns on the 100-metre rule — check visibility before you check the lights.

How this comes up in the real test

Questions from vehicle handling appear throughout the 50-question multiple-choice section, and the wording changes between versions. Learn the rule rather than the sentence: the DVSA can ask the same point from the opposite direction, and a memorised answer falls over the moment the phrasing moves.

The pass mark is 43 out of 50, so seven wrong answers is your entire margin. If a whole category is shaky, run the topic practice below until you are getting every question right for the right reason, then go back to full mocks under the clock.

Practise Vehicle Handling Sit a full mock test