The Ideal Distance of Car Headlight Beam and How to Adjust Its Height

The function of car headlights not only serves as vehicle illumination but also reduces the risk of car accidents. However, improper adjustment of the headlight beam distance can actually increase the risk of accidents for other drivers due to excessive glare. Therefore, knowing the ideal headlight beam distance and the correct adjustment method is very important. The following will clearly explain the distance and the correct adjustment method.

Ideal Car Headlight Beam Distance

In Indonesia, regulations regarding the ideal headlight beam distance have been set by the government. These regulations are written in Government Regulation Year 2015 Number 55 Article 24 paragraph 1. Here is the content of the regulation.

1. Cars must have at least two headlights or multiples of that number.
2. Headlights must be installed at the front with a height limit not exceeding 400 mm from the outermost side of the car, and not more than 1,500 mm from the road surface.
3. The light emitted by the low beam headlights must reach at least 40 meters. For high beam headlights, the light must reach a minimum distance of 100 meters.
4. The direction of the light beam must not exceed 0 degrees for 34 minutes to the right, and to the left must not exceed 1 degree for 9 minutes. For the installation distance of the headlights, whether the car is loaded or not, it must not exceed 1.3 percent of the height of the light beam. If these regulations are violated, you will be fined Rp. 500,000 or imprisoned for 2 months.

From these regulations, it can be concluded that the minimum distance for the low beam headlights is 40 meters. And for the high beam headlights, the beam distance is 100 meters.

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How to Properly Adjust Headlight Height

To adjust the height and distance of the ideal car headlights, you need to follow these steps.

1. Ensure the car is parked on a flat area and in a straight position

The first step is to pay attention to your parking area before adjusting the headlight height. Make sure you park the car on a flat parking area and not tilted to one side.

Additionally, you need to ensure that the tire pressure is correct to achieve more precise headlight adjustments. Make sure the car is also straight so that the headlight beam distance is also straight. To ensure the car is straight, you can empty the trunk or remove items inside the car.

2. Park the car facing a wall

The second step is to park the car facing a wall. Leave a distance of about 3-4.5 meters between the front bumper of the car and the wall. 

3. Turn on the car's headlights

The next step is to turn on the car's headlights for height adjustment. Make sure your fog lights are not active.

Read Also: Reasons Why the Headlight Beam on the Right Differs from the Left

4. Apply black tape to the wall

The fourth step is to use black tape on the wall illuminated by the headlights. Use a level first before applying the tape to the wall. This is to measure the accuracy of the headlight height. You need to reverse the car about 7-8 meters before adjusting the headlight height. 

Next, you need to check whether the height of the right and left headlight beams is the same. If they differ, you need to adjust the light direction by opening the hood first. 

5. Adjust the height of the car headlights

The fifth step is to adjust the height of the headlights one by one alternately. Cover the headlight that is not being adjusted with a cloth to avoid confusion during the adjustment.

To adjust the vertical beam of the headlights, you can turn the top screw clockwise. For adjusting the horizontal beam, you can turn the side screw. Adjust until the headlight beam aligns with the mark you made on the wall. 

These are the steps you can practice to adjust the height and distance of the ideal car headlights, quite easy, right?