What is the best practice to maintain visibility and prevent collisions during night operations?

• A. Ensure high-visibility markings are clean and lights are used; use headlights and hazard lights as needed.
• B. Keep all lights off to avoid glare.
• C. Only use hazard lights at night.
• D. Rely on GPS guidance.

Answer: (B)

Maintaining visibility at night centers on being clearly seen and able to see your surroundings. Keeping high-visibility markings clean ensures your vehicle is recognizable, while using the proper lighting provides actual illumination so you can spot obstacles and be seen by others. Forward-facing headlights help you see the path ahead and signal your presence to approaching traffic or pedestrians. Hazard lights are useful to warn others when you are stationary or moving slowly due to a hazard, but they do not replace the need for regular headlights and appropriate illumination during normal operations.

Keeping all lights off eliminates visibility entirely, dramatically increasing the risk of a collision. Using only hazard lights at night deprives you of forward illumination and can be misleading to others, since hazard lights indicate a different condition than routine operation. Relying on GPS guidance alone ignores immediate visual cues and cannot substitute for proper lighting and conspicuity.