An Alarming Amount of New Hampshire Drivers Do This, and It’s Dangerous

It has been foggy and rainy as sin in New Hampshire recently.

At some points in my morning commute, I could not see more than a few feet in front of my car even with my fog lights on!

I am an uneasy driver as is. So if you sprinkle in these challenging elements, I am guaranteed to be white-knuckling my steering wheel for my entire 15-mile commute.

What really concerns me is the amount of drivers on the road who don't have their lights on in these foggy/rainy conditions. If you are guilty of this, with all due respect, you don't deserve to have a license.

Why do people not turn their headlights on while driving through fog?

This is the age-old question! And unless we can find someone who admits they do this and are willing to be interrogated about it, we might never know the answer.

One theory is perhaps they are recalling their days in driver's ed class. Maybe they heard their driver's ed instructor's voice saying, "Don't use your high beams in the fog" and they took that as "Don't use your headlights in the fog" and ran with it.

Another theory is that they genuinely don't know their lights aren't on. They think they turn on automatically! People should have a better sense of their vehicle and its functionality, but it is not out of the question that this could be happening.

Some cars do have DRLs, which is a low-intensity light on the front of a vehicle that automatically turns on when the engine is running. They may think if they have a car with DRLs, that is enough to keep them safe. Having these on is not the same as turning your headlights on. Period.

Lastly, and this is a concerning theory. But people might be choosing to drive without their headlights on in an attempt to save battery/fuel - Driving with headlights on can slightly reduce a vehicle's fuel efficiency especially if they have an older vehicle with less efficient electrical systems.

Can you get a ticket in New Hampshire if you are caught driving without your lights on in the dark/rain/fog?

You could get a ticket if you are caught driving without your headlights on especially if it's dark. It is taken as seriously as Jessica's Law in the state of New Hampshire.

Read More: New Hampshire State Police Mean Business About Clearing Snow and Ice From Your Roof Before Driving

I actually got pulled over for the opposite problem when I first got my car. I had my high beams on and I didn't know it. The officer said I almost burned his retinas out of his head. Thankfully, he was kind enough to let me go with just a warning but I never made that mistake again.