In bad weather, which headlights does the manual tell you to use?
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A.
Parking lights, to avoid glare off falling precipitation.
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B.
Hazard flashers alone, so other drivers spot you first.
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C.
Low beams, because high beams actually reduce visibility. Correct
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D.
High beams, because they reach farther in poor visibility.
The answer is "Low beams, because high beams actually reduce visibility."
The manual limits you to low beams in bad weather because high beams reflect off rain, snow, and fog and throw glare back at you. Choice D is written for drivers who reason that more reach equals more visibility, forgetting that in precipitation the extra light bounces off the droplets straight back at them, which is exactly the reflection the manual warns about.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Parking lights, to avoid glare off falling precipitation.
Parking lights are not enough to drive by and are not what the manual authorizes. This answer reaches for a dim setting on the theory that any bright light will glare.
B. Hazard flashers alone, so other drivers spot you first.
Flashers do not light the road and are reserved for stopped or squall situations. This answer borrows the squall step of turning on the hazards and treats it as a substitute for headlights.
D. High beams, because they reach farther in poor visibility.
In precipitation the extra reach reflects back as glare, which is why the manual bans it. This answer repeats the everyday habit of clicking to brights whenever it gets harder to see.
This question tests your knowledge of Adverse Conditions in Pennsylvania. Source: Pennsylvania Driver Manual, "Driving at Night," p.40..
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