[2] There is a kind of murder called abusing high beams
Compiled from: China Legal Education
Case review
[2] Around 5 a.m. on October 7, a traffic accident occurred in Jiangyan, Taizhou. A car driven by Zhou (pseudonym) collided with an electric tricycle traveling in the same direction. The tricycle driver, Yang (pseudonym), was seriously injured and died after rescue efforts failed at the hospital.
[3] Investigating officers at the scene found that after Zhou's car hit the electric tricycle, it also collided with an oncoming Dongfeng Citroen car. During questioning, the driver Zhou stated that the Citroen in the opposite lane had its high beams on, causing strong glare that prevented him from seeing the electric tricycle, leading to the collision.
[4] Zhou said his dashcam should have recorded the entire process. After reviewing the dashcam footage, the police confirmed this was true. When Zhou's vehicle collided with the electric tricycle, the oncoming lane's lights were glaring, clearly in high beam mode. The video evidence, along with the driver's statement and expert conclusions, formed a sufficient chain of evidence that the Citroen used high beams during the meeting.
[5] Zhou, driving a motor vehicle under impaired visibility, failed to maintain a safe speed and take effective driving measures, causing his vehicle to collide with the electric tricycle in the same lane. Cui, driving at night, used high beams during a meeting (failing to ensure safe and courteous driving), affecting the oncoming driver. Yang failed to drive in the non-motor vehicle lane, contributing to the accident. Yang bears primary responsibility, while Zhou and Cui bear secondary responsibility respectively.
Regulations on the Implementation of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China
Article 48
[6] On roads without central barriers or centerlines, motor vehicles meeting oncoming traffic should comply with the following regulations:
(5) When meeting another vehicle at night, switch to low beams at least 150 meters away from the oncoming vehicle; use low beams when meeting non-motor vehicles on narrow roads or narrow bridges.
Article 51
Motor vehicles passing through intersections controlled by traffic signals shall follow these regulations:
(3) When turning left, turn near the center point of the intersection on the left side. Use turn signals when turning, and use low beams when driving at night.
Article 58
When driving at night without streetlights, in poor lighting, or in low visibility conditions such as fog, rain, snow, sandstorms, or hail, motor vehicles shall turn on headlights, clearance lights, and tail lights. However, when a following vehicle is driving close to the vehicle ahead in the same direction, high beams must not be used. When driving in fog, motor vehicles shall turn on fog lights and hazard warning flashers.
Article 59
When driving at night through sharp curves, slopes, arch bridges, pedestrian crosswalks, or intersections not controlled by traffic signals, motor vehicles shall alternately use high and low beams to signal.
[1] The author's perspective
The reason high beams should not be used indiscriminately is that when a vehicle encounters high beams while driving, it not only severely obstructs the driver's vision but may also cause temporary blind spots due to glare, leading to accidents. In recent years, there have been continuous reports of tragedies involving collisions and rollovers caused by the misuse of high beams, making it one of the most hated driving behaviors among motorists.
The author reminds that on well-lit urban roads, drivers actually do not need to turn on high beams. However, if encountering someone who misuses high beams, the driver can flash their headlights twice to prompt the other to turn them off. If the other driver accidentally turned them on, they will likely turn them off after the prompt. If the other driver still does not turn off the high beams after the reminder, the driver can pull over and let the other pass first, ensuring both their own safety and that of others.
