Many people only flip their headlights on at night. However, the thing to remember is that your headlights are not just there to help you see. They’re there to help you be seen by other drivers.
This is especially true in any sort of inclement weather conditions. Say it gets a bit foggy. You can still see well enough to drive, but the drivers coming toward you feel like your dark gray car is just suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Turning on your headlights helps to cut the fog and give them more notice that you’re there. You can do this in rain, at dawn, at dusk, if it snows, or in any other conditions that reduce visibility.
One thing that should be avoided, however, is driving with emergency flashers on while driving in a heavy downpour. This can be confusing and lead other drivers to assume you are not in motion.
Even if the weather is perfect, your headlights still make your car that much more visible. It may be wise to simply turn them on every time you get behind the wheel.
Plus, when you’re driving down a residential street, headlights help tell people that your car is on and moving. This feels clear to you as a driver, but it’s far less clear to walkers, runners, and cyclists. Your car can blend into all of the cars parked on the side of the street, and they may walk right out in front of you. Turning on the headlights gets their attention and lets them know to be more cautious. That’s always a good thing and can directly reduce the risk of an accident.
That said, nothing guarantees you’ll never get into a crash. You can become as visible as possible and still get hit by another inattentive driver. If you get injured in the crash, you may need to seek compensation for your medical bills.