Car lights — types, names and what each one does
Complete driving-school guide to car lights — sidelights, dipped beam, main beam, fog and hazard lights. Where they are, how to switch them on and what every dashboard warning light means.
Car lights — overview and why you must know each one
Lights are the only thing that lets other drivers see you in the dark, in fog or in heavy rain — and the only thing that lets you see the road. Every modern car has at least seven types of lights outside (sidelights, dipped beam, main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reverse) plus a dashboard full of warning indicator lights that tell you which of them is currently on.
Below you will find the full breakdown — front lights, rear lights and every8dashboard symbol explained, in the same depth a driving-school instructor would go through them on the first practical lesson.
Types of car lights — full overview
Seven types of exterior lights — each with its own purpose, switch position and legal use-case.
Why driving schools start with lights
On the practical exam the examiner usually asks you, before you even start the engine, to switch on the dipped beam, the indicators and the hazard lights. A driver who hesitates over the lights stalk fails on the very first task. Below you will find each light explained — what it does, where the switch is and when the law requires it to be on.
Sidelights
- Smallest front and rear lights — mark the outline of the car
- For parking on an unlit road or short stops
- Switch position 1 on the light stalk or rotary knob
- Dashboard symbol: green outline arrows pointing outwards
Dipped beam (low beam)
- Main driving lights — required at night and in poor visibility
- CZ: by law required ALL year round, day and night
- Beam aimed slightly down so it does not dazzle oncoming drivers
- Switch position 2 · dashboard symbol: green headlamp with three lines pointing diagonally down
Main beam (high beam)
- Long-range driving beam — illuminates up to 150 m ahead
- Use ONLY on unlit roads with no oncoming traffic
- Switch by pushing the stalk away from you
- Dashboard symbol: blue (only blue indicator on the dash)
Fog lights
- Front (white) + rear (red) — extra penetration through fog/snow
- Use ONLY when visibility is under ~50 m
- Rear fog must be switched off in clear weather — dazzles others
- Symbols: green (front fog) · amber/orange (rear fog)
Indicators (turn signals)
- Amber blinking lights — front, side and rear of each side
- Mandatory before every direction change or lane change
- Switch by light stalk up (right) / down (left)
- All four = hazard lights (triangle button)
Reverse lights
- White rear lights — switched on automatically when in reverse
- Signal to other drivers + light up the area behind the car
- No switch on the dashboard — controlled by the gearbox
- A burnt-out bulb is a fail at the STK technical inspection
Front lights of a car — what is in the front headlight cluster
A single headlamp unit usually combines four to six different functions in one housing.
What a front headlamp contains
A modern front headlight cluster typically holds the sidelight, dipped beam, main beam, the front indicator and on most cars also the daytime running light (DRL) and a front fog lamp. All six functions live behind a single transparent cover but each has its own bulb (or LED segment) and its own electrical circuit.
When a bulb burns out you typically only lose one function — for example the dipped beam — while the rest of the headlight keeps working. Replacement is possible from the engine bay; on some cars (e.g. compact hatchbacks) the wheel arch liner has to be removed first.
Rear lights of a car — what every rear cluster contains
Rear clusters are red-dominated and add brake, reverse and rear fog functions.
What a rear light cluster contains
The rear cluster combines the rear sidelight (faint red, lit together with the front sidelights), the much brighter brake light, the rear indicator (amber), the reverse light (white) and the rear fog lamp (intense red, only one side on most cars). On top of that every passenger car has a separate third (high-mounted) brake light in the rear window or on the boot lid.
The biggest mistake new drivers make is leaving the rear fog lamp switched on in clear weather — it dazzles the driver behind you exactly like a permanently lit brake light. Always check the dashboard symbol after fog clears.
Dashboard warning lights — what each symbol means
Quick reference: green = on / blue = main beam / amber = caution / red = stop immediately.
How to read indicator lights — by colour
Driving schools teach a simple colour code that works on every car in the world:
- Green — that function is currently switched on (sidelights, dipped beam, indicators, front fog). Informational, no action needed.
- Blue — reserved exclusively for main beam (high beam). If you see blue, dip your lights when meeting another car.
- Amber / orange — caution. Either a setting is on (rear fog) or a system needs attention soon (low fuel, washer fluid, tyre pressure). Drive carefully and resolve at the next stop.
- Red — stop as soon as it is safe. Engine oil pressure, coolant temperature, brake fluid, battery, brake system, airbag. Red = potential damage or safety risk.
The eight you must know for the exam
The examiner usually quizzes you on: sidelights (green outline arrows), dipped beam (green headlamp with three down-pointing rays), main beam (blue headlamp with parallel rays), front fog (green headlamp with wavy line), rear fog (amber headlamp with wavy line), low engine oil (red oilcan), low coolant (red thermometer in water) and the battery / alternator warning (red battery shape).
Frequent questions about car lights
What are the types of lights in a car?
Every passenger car (category B) has seven types of exterior lights: sidelights, dipped beam, main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reverse lights. The dashboard then displays a colour-coded set of warning lights showing which of them are currently on.
What is the difference between sidelights and dipped beam?
Sidelights are very dim — they only mark the outline of the car for stationary use on an unlit road. Dipped beam is much brighter and actually illuminates the road up to ~40 m ahead. In the Czech Republic dipped beam is required all day, every day.
When can I use main beam (high beam)?
Only on unlit roads with no oncoming traffic and no car in front of you. Dip them down to dipped beam at least 100 m before any oncoming car and immediately when following another vehicle.
What does a red dashboard warning light mean?
Red = stop as soon as it is safe. It signals a potential engine, brake or electrical fault that risks damage or your safety. Examples: low oil pressure, coolant overheating, brake system warning, battery/alternator failure.