What does it mean to overdrive the headlights?

• A. Driving with headlights off
• B. Going faster than you can see/react in time to stop
• C. Using high beams in city
• D. Driving at night without headlights

Answer: (B)

Overdriving the headlights means you’re moving fast enough that your stopping distance exceeds the distance you can see ahead with your headlights. In night driving, your headlights reveal hazards, but your ability to stop also depends on your speed, your reaction time, and your braking. When you drive faster than the distance you can safely react and brake for what you can see, you may reach a hazard before you can stop. That’s exactly what “going faster than you can see/react in time to stop” describes.

Driving with headlights off, using high beams in the city, or driving at night without headlights all involve improper visibility or headlight use, but they don’t define the stopping-distance–visibility mismatch that overdriving the headlights represents.