Night Driving, Bad Weather and Skids

Key points

1. Headlights are required from a half hour after sunset until a half hour before sunrise, and whenever people or vehicles cannot be clearly seen at 1,000 feet.

   Source: Handbook p. 56

   “Headlights are legally required: From a half hour after sunset until a half hour before sunrise. When there is insufficient light. Whenever persons or vehicles cannot be clearly seen at a distance of 1,000 feet.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 56

2. Switch to low beams 500 feet before oncoming vehicles and 300 feet before a vehicle you follow.

   Source: Handbook p. 56

   “Change to low beams when you are at least 500 feet before any oncoming vehicles and 300 feet before any vehicle you are following.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 56

3. Always make sure you can stop within the range of your headlights.

   Source: Handbook p. 56

   “Always make sure you can stop within the range of your headlights.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 56

4. In bad weather, slow down; stopping on slippery roads may take 2 to 10 times farther.

   Source: Handbook p. 57

   “The most important thing to do when driving in bad weather is slow down. Stopping distances on slippery roads may be 2 to 10 times greater than on dry pavement.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 57

5. Most cars can hydroplane between 35 and 55 mph in heavy rain.

   Source: Handbook p. 41

   “Most cars will begin to lose traction and hydroplane between speeds of 35 and 55 mph in heavy rainfall.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 41

6. Studded snow tires may be used only from October 1 through April 30.

   Source: Handbook p. 57

   “Studded snow tires may only be used from October 1 through April 30.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 57

7. Skidding means your tires have lost traction.

   Source: Handbook p. 57

   “Skidding means your vehicle’s tires have lost traction.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 57

8. It is advisable to use your headlights when driving in rain, snow or fog.

   Source: Handbook p. 56

   “It is advisable to use your headlights when driving in rain, snow or fog.”
   Nevada Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 56

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Nevada practice test

1. 1. Nevada law requires headlights when people or vehicles cannot be clearly seen from what distance?

   1. 300 feet
   2. 500 feet
   3. 1,000 feet
   4. 200 feet
   Show answer

   1,000 feet. Headlights are legally required whenever people or vehicles cannot be clearly seen at a distance of 1,000 feet. This rule covers poor visibility even when the driver is not yet in darkness, so waiting until objects are only 500 or 300 feet away is too late. The shorter figures are associated with other handbook distances, including low-beam timing and visibility rules, not this trigger. Use the ability to see other road users as the cue: if they fade from clear view at the required distance, turn on the headlights.

2. 2. Compared with dry pavement, how much greater may stopping distance be on slippery roads?

   1. Only one-quarter greater
   2. No more than twice as great
   3. Two to ten times greater
   4. Twelve to twenty times greater
   Show answer

   Two to ten times greater. Slippery pavement can make stopping distances two to ten times greater than on a dry road. That wide range is why keeping an ordinary dry-road speed and gap can leave too little room to stop. Nevada identifies slowing down as the most important response to bad weather and also tells drivers to give others plenty of space. Do not interpret the lower end of the range as a fixed maximum; the handbook explicitly allows a much larger increase.

3. 3. What speed-related danger does Nevada's handbook identify during heavy rainfall?

   1. Wet roads make stopping distances shorter
   2. Tires gain traction above 55 mph
   3. Hydroplaning occurs only below 15 mph
   4. Hydroplaning can begin between 35 and 55 mph
   Show answer

   Hydroplaning can begin between 35 and 55 mph. The handbook warns that many cars begin to lose traction and hydroplane between 35 and 55 mph in heavy rainfall. Once tires ride on water instead of gripping pavement, steering and braking control can disappear quickly. The higher-speed traction claim and the low-speed-only claim contradict that stated range. Wet pavement also lengthens stopping, rather than shortening it. When rain becomes heavy, lower speed before water gathers, avoid abrupt steering, and allow more space ahead so a loss of grip is less likely to become a collision.

Source: the Nevada Driver's Handbook, Chapter 5: Special Driving Conditions. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.