The winter season can be challenging for drivers, with ice, snow, and fog creating a serious hazard on swan city’s roads, so the Grande Prairie RCMP is encouraging drivers to practice proper headlight etiquette to make their morning commute a bit easier.
According to the RCMP, exercising proper headlight etiquette is essential for keeping everyone safe on the roads, especially with the long winter nights ahead.
As a result, the Grande Prairie RCMP is providing drivers with some simple techniques to improve safety and visibility while preventing accidents this winter.
To start, drivers are asked to be mindful that while high beams are effective for illuminating dark, rural roads, they can create a dangerous glare for oncoming drivers. Road users are asked to dim their lights “at least” 300 metres away from an approaching vehicle and when following another vehicle, or 150 metres when approaching a vehicle travelling in the same direction.
When driving in snowy or foggy weather, high beams can reflect off the particles in the air, so police suggest utilizing low beams in these conditions. Additionally, the RCMP says low beams should also be used in urban areas whenever glare poses an issue for other drivers.
Should conditions get to the point of near-zero visibility, turning on hazard lights along with law beams can alert other drivers of your presence on the road; however, police say travellers should avoid the use of hazard lights if road visibility is manageable as they can confuse other drivers.
