New Jersey headlights: rain, fog and nighttime driving

Headlights help you see the road and help other drivers see you. In New Jersey, rain and reduced visibility can require headlights even in daytime. Turning on the wipers is a reason to check the lights immediately.

When headlights are required

The 2026 New Jersey Driver Manual lists these conditions:

Condition	What to do
From 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise	Use headlights.
Visibility of 500 feet or less	Use headlights.
Wipers operating because of rain, snow or ice	Use headlights.
Fog, mist, smoke or other reduced visibility	Use headlights and adjust speed to what you can see.

Parking lights or auxiliary lights do not replace required headlights. Check that the selected setting actually turns on the headlights; do not assume dashboard illumination means the exterior lights are on.

These are the manual’s headlight requirements. Its safe-driving guidance also recommends lights at dusk, dawn and on dark days. There is no reason to wait for the half-hour threshold when conditions already require lights.

Low beams or high beams?

Use low beams in traffic, behind another vehicle and when a vehicle approaches. High beams are intended for open country driving with no traffic in sight; they can dazzle other drivers.

In fog, slow down and use low beams. If the vehicle has fog lights, the manual recommends using them too. High beams are not the fog-driving choice.

If oncoming high beams dazzle you, the manual advises looking toward the right edge of the road until the vehicle passes. Avoid staring into the glare or responding with high beams.

Lights do not replace a safer speed

At night, drive at a speed that allows you to stop within the distance you can see ahead. Headlights being on does not make a wet or icy road safe at the posted limit.

In rain or poor visibility, increase following space. Clear frost and ice from windows before driving and use the defroster. If visibility becomes too poor to continue, pull out of traffic to a safe stopping place and use hazard lights once stopped.

Three study situations

• Daytime rain, wipers running: turn on headlights. Daylight does not remove the requirement.
• Fog on a quiet road: slow down and select low beams; the absence of other traffic does not make high beams the fog setting.
• A vehicle ahead at night: use low beams and leave enough space to react and stop.

These are original practice situations. For choosing a gap in changing weather, see NJ following distances.

Sources and review

Checked October 29, 2026: 2026 NJ Driver Manual, printed page 83 (headlights), page 99 (fog and reduced visibility) and pages 100–101 (night driving). The headlight section cites N.J.S.A. 39:3-46. Official editions are available from MVC manual downloads.