Riding a Motorcycle at Night: Lights, Speed and What to Do If the Headlight Fails

A day trip that runs late, the ride back to your hotel after dinner or a stretch of highway after dark all mean riding at night. This guide covers riding a motorcycle at night in Vietnam: the headlight law and when to use high or low beam, matching your speed to your headlight, staying visible and what to do if the headlight fails on the road. It is based on Vietnam’s Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation motorcycle handbook (Canada), the SGI motorcycle handbook (Saskatchewan, Canada) and the NZTA motorcycle road code (New Zealand).

Quick answer

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• Headlight on from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., and switch to low beam when meeting oncoming traffic, approaching pedestrians crossing, in built-up areas with street lighting and when turning at intersections (Article 20, Vietnam’s Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024).
• Do not overdrive your headlight: your stopping distance must be shorter than the distance you can see (Ontario).
• Slow down, especially on unfamiliar roads, and increase your following distance because judging distance is harder at night (Ontario).
• Wear reflective gear and keep your headlight clean (Ontario, SGI).
• Headlight fails: slow down, move off the road gradually and stop somewhere safe, with hazard lights on if you have them (NZTA).

Why is riding at night more dangerous?

The Ontario motorcycle handbook states that at night you cannot see or be seen as well as in daytime, and you cannot judge distance as well. Reflective road signs can mislead you into believing you can see farther ahead than you really can. The SGI handbook adds that a single motorcycle headlight or tail light can get lost among other lights, especially on wet roads where light reflects off the surface.

The headlight law, and when to use high or low beam

Under Article 20 of Vietnam’s Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety No. 36/2024/QH15 (in force since 01/01/2025), drivers must turn on their front lights from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., or whenever fog, smoke, dust, rain or bad weather limits visibility. The Ontario handbook advises switching to high beam whenever you are not following or approaching another vehicle, to get as much light as you can; in Vietnam, however, you must switch to low beam in the situations the law lists.

Situation	Beam	Source
Dark road, no vehicle ahead or oncoming	High beam	Ontario
Meeting oncoming traffic (unless an anti-glare median separates you)	Low beam	Article 20, 2024 law
Following another vehicle	Low beam	Ontario
Built-up area with working street lighting	Low beam	Article 20, 2024 law
Pedestrians crossing; turning at an intersection	Low beam	Article 20, 2024 law

Speed at night: do not overdrive your headlight

• Overdriving your headlight means riding so fast that your stopping distance is farther than you can see; the Ontario handbook calls this dangerous because you leave yourself no room to stop safely.
• Reduce your speed, particularly on roads you do not know well: if something is lying on the road ahead, you may not see it in time to avoid it (Ontario).
• Increase your distance from other vehicles and give yourself more room to pass (Ontario).
• Use the lights of the vehicle in front to get a better view of the road ahead (Ontario).
• If you are ahead of a group of cars, slow down: other drivers are more likely than usual to turn in front of you (SGI).

Riding at night after a long day is tiring; see long-distance motorcycle riding and fatigue.

How to make sure others see you at night

• Reflective gear: wear a reflective vest and helmet (Ontario); a jacket with reflective material or reflective tape on the rear of the bike also helps (SGI). See hi-vis motorcycle gear for night riding.
• Keep your headlight clean and get as much light as you can (Ontario).
• Dress warmer when riding at night, as the Ontario handbook recommends.
• In fog: use low beam, not high beam; see riding a motorcycle in fog.

What to do if the headlight fails at night

1. Slow down straight away (NZTA).
2. Check your mirrors and give a clear signal, because drivers behind might not expect you to slow down; check that the roadside is firm enough to ride on (NZTA).
3. Move off the road gradually and stop somewhere safe, as far off the road as you can, because a motorcycle at the roadside is very hard to see (NZTA).
4. Turn on your hazard lights if you have them (NZTA).
5. Do not carry on in the dark: Article 20 of the 2024 law requires lights from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. On a rental, call the owner for instructions or find the nearest workshop.

To reduce the risk, check your lights before every ride: see checking lights and horn before riding.

Checklist before a night ride

1. Check high beam, low beam, tail light, brake light, indicators and horn.
2. Clean the headlight and your visor.
3. Bring a reflective vest and a warm layer.
4. Avoid unfamiliar roads at night where possible; if you must ride them, slow down.
5. Save the bike owner or a workshop number in your phone.

Before you collect your bike, ask Mr Tú – Old Quarter Motorbike Rental to check the high beam, low beam and tail light with you.

Frequently asked questions

When can I use high beam on a motorcycle at night?

On dark roads when you are not following or meeting another vehicle (Ontario). Under Article 20 of Vietnam’s 2024 law, switch to low beam for oncoming traffic, pedestrians crossing, built-up areas with street lighting and turns at intersections.

What does overdriving your headlight mean?

Riding so fast that your stopping distance is longer than the distance you can see, according to the Ontario handbook; you then have no room to stop safely.

What should I do if my motorcycle headlight fails at night?

Slow down, check your mirrors and signal, move off the road gradually and stop somewhere safe, with hazard lights on if you have them (NZTA); then call the bike owner or a workshop.

How can I make sure cars see my motorbike at night?

Wear a reflective vest and helmet, keep your headlight clean (Ontario) and consider reflective tape on the rear of the bike (SGI); slow down when you are ahead of a group of cars.

Sources checked on 13/11/2026: LuatVietnam (26/07/2024), headlight rules under Article 20 of the 2024 Road Traffic Order and Safety Law (Vietnamese); Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO), motorcycle handbook: driving at night; SGI motorcycle handbook: nighttime visibility; NZTA motorcycle road code: tips for handling hazards and emergencies.