At night, how should your stopping distance relate to the reach of your headlights?

• A. Within range of headlights
• B. Far beyond headlight range
• C. Only for low speeds
• D. Only if wearing reflective gear

Answer: (A)

At night, you must be able to stop within the distance your headlights illuminate. Your total stopping distance includes the time it takes you to perceive and react to a hazard plus the braking distance to come to a complete stop. Headlights set the visible distance ahead, so keeping your stopping distance within that illuminated range ensures you can see a hazard, react, and stop before you would disappear from view. Wearing reflective gear helps others notice you, not the distance you can see or stop within, so it doesn’t change this rule. In practice, drive at a speed where, even with reaction time and braking, you’ll stop within the headlight range, adjusting for weather or road conditions that reduce visibility.