Side lights, also known as parking lights, are a very important safety feature, and here’s how you can benefit from them.
Most of us fail to notice many of our car's functions and features, without knowing how to utilize them. One of the features that many people overlook is the side lights. There are many situations in which you can benefit from these lights, and below, I'll explain where these lights are activated and when to use them. Although you probably won't use them often, it doesn't hurt to learn more about them.
What Are Car Parking Lights?
Also known as side lights, these are the smaller, dimmer lights that illuminate at the first stage of turning on the car's headlights, before the high beams turn on. They are primarily designed for use during certain parking situations, to inform other drivers that a car is parked. That is, when you're in your car and parked in a very dark place, or close to dawn, or on roads where speeds exceed 50 km/h, and this when you need to avoid other drivers hitting you, while at the same time not disturbing them with your high beams.
These lights differ from the low beams, which you can also use when driving in fog or sandstorms. In such situations where the weather is bad, you should use the low beams instead of the high beams, because the latter cause reflections on the sand or fog, and instead of helping you, they may actually worsen your vision. However, at the same time, when driving in a dark place or when it’s raining heavily, you should use the high beams if you find it necessary. It's worth noting that the sidelights differ from the daytime running lights. The sidelights illuminate both sides of the road. Some cars have single-sided parking lights, where you can turn the light switch in a specific direction (in a dedicated position, not the normal position for the sidelights) or press a specific button to turn on the parking lights on one side only. Some cars also offer this feature when the indicator lever is positioned in a specific direction while the sidelights are on.
This is why they are called side parking lights, which illuminate when you park your car in a dark area.
What lights come on when you shift the gears into R?
When the transmission is in reverse (R), some headlights may come on in some modern cars, including:
Daytime running lights: In many cars, the daytime running lights (DRLs) remain on while reversing, especially in cars with automatic lighting.
Side lights (or parking lights): The sidelights may also remain on when reversing to indicate that you’re parking the car.
Front fog lights (in some cars): Some cars automatically turn on the front fog lights or cornering lights to improve visibility when reversing, especially at night.
Adaptive headlights (in luxury cars): In luxury cars, the angle of the headlights may change slightly to provide better visibility while reversing.
However, in general, in regular cars, no additional headlights come on when reversing, except for pre-lit lights such as DRLs or parking lights. Here's something you may not have noticed before: When you put the transmission in reverse, the rear wipers automatically engage, removing anything obstructing your view of the rear window so you can reverse easily and without any obstruction.
