Dawn and Dusk driving with no tail lights

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This is an appeal to all Mazda drivers out there: please, please, please, make an effort and switch the light indicator stalk from Auto to low beams at dawn, at dusk, in inclement weather and, of course, at night! Just got back home and I've seen, even tonight, quite a few Mazda CX-5s with tail lights turned off. By having the tail lights on, you are doing yourself and your family a favour, first of all, you help everybody on the road to be able to see you better. Help us to help you! Please, pretty please!

 

[N7turbo]

Did you see any 22+?

Even on low sensitivity, mine come on pretty early.

 

[GFrosty]

Important reminder, about safe driving and being seen in all conditions.

Thanks.


On every vehicle I've ever driven, I've always manually adjusted the lighting (via the stalk) so that visibility is suitable to the conditions. Which means that on rare occasions I forget to do so, but it also means that I'm conscious of setting the brightest lighting whenever I'm approaching tunnels, before it gets dim at dusk, whenever the particular road/conditions warrant. And in my area with all the big, overhanging trees, at most times of the Spring-to-Autumn season the conditions warrant. Lots of dappled/darker, sketchy visibility, particularly on winding country roads with all that overhanging tree canopy.

It's frequent that I see people at dawn (for example) turning off their lighting long before it's bright enough to clearly see all vehicles. Damned dangerous.

I'm always looking for the best way to be seen. As with many cars, on my 2016.5 the "Auto" setting won't come on unless it gets reasonably dark. Wish I could adjust the sensitivity of that way up, but there is no such setting on my vehicle. So, for me, it's DRL/parking lights during all daylight hours. Or turning the headlights/low on when visibility's a bit weak. I also keep the fog lights switch turned on, so that they're illuminated whenever it's possible.

Have been seriously considering installation of a big band of conspicuity tape along the rear (bumper or base of the hatch) area of my car, to boost visibility for cars behind me.

Won't ever be enough, in some conditions. But every little bit helps.

 

[Lazy2.5]

Canadian models will have the DRL's on, even if the lights are "off." I think the tail lights will be off though.

I believe many of those drivers don't even realize their lights are off. Almost as bad as that one person driving in broad daylight with intense high beams on.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[hsdejong]

switch the light indicator stalk from Auto to low beams at dawn, at dusk, in inclement weather and, of course, at night!

Most of the time I have my headlights set to Auto (with sensitivity set to medium-high) and the car automatically turns on the headlights when it is still light enough to easily see other road users. Only in rain and snow during the day do I switch my headlights to manual.

When I see other CX-5s driving in the dark with their taillights off, it is because the driver drives the car with the headlights off, thinking that the DRL are their headlights.

That is why my advice is to always set the headlights to auto, except in rain or snow during the day. This prevents drivers from driving with only the DRL on.

 

[Lazy2.5]

I personally like the option to switch between DRL's (third setting), and the HID's, (fourth and final setting.) when I am on a brightly lit road, I keep the DRL's on. Driving up north into the country where there are hardly any lights, the HID's become far more useful. I never use 'auto' for this reason.

 

[ADS-B]

Did you see any 22+?

Even on low sensitivity, mine come on pretty early.

By 22+ you mean the ones with the fancy square like tail lights? Yes, I've seen some of those, too.

 

[youri]

I personally like the option to switch between DRL's (third setting), and the HID's, (fourth and final setting.) when I am on a brightly lit road, I keep the DRL's on. Driving up north into the country where there are hardly any lights, the HID's become far more useful. I never use 'auto' for this reason.

Are the rear taillight on when on DRL mode? I don’t think they are but not 100% sure. If they aren’t you might be that person driving in town with their rear lights off.

 

[youri]

Most of the time I have my headlights set to Auto (with sensitivity set to medium-high) and the car automatically turns on the headlights when it is still light enough to easily see other road users. Only in rain and snow during the day do I switch my headlights to manual.

When I see other CX-5s driving in the dark with their taillights off, it is because the driver drives the car with the headlights off, thinking that the DRL are their headlights.

That is why my advice is to always set the headlights to auto, except in rain or snow during the day. This prevents drivers from driving with only the DRL on.

A lot of cars have the light turn on in the day when the wipers are activated. It depends on the models but a lot of the Mazda’s do it. With those models you don’t even have to leave it out of auto during rain and snow.

 

[Lazy2.5]

Are the rear taillight on when on DRL mode? I don’t think they are but not 100% sure. If they aren’t you might be that person driving in town with their rear lights off.

There is

1. Off
2. Auto
3. DRL's
4. HID's

In mode 3 and 4, the taillights are illuminated. I of course have verified this.

 

[stickerbush]

There is

1. Off
2. Auto
3. DRL's
4. HID's

In mode 3 and 4, the taillights are illuminated. I of course have verified this.

What year CX-5 do you have?

 

[stickerbush]

Canadian models will have the DRL's on, even if the lights are "off."

Same goes for US CX-5 models.

 

[chickdr]

By 22+ you mean the ones with the fancy square like tail lights? Yes, I've seen some of those, too.

Fancy? I think the lighting on the 17-21 GT and above still looks better (i.e. more unique) than the 22+ cars which looks more generic IMHO.

 

[Lazy2.5]

What year CX-5 do you have?

2015 Mazda 6.

 

[hsdejong]

There is

1. Off
2. Auto
3. DRL's
4. HID's

In mode 3 and 4, the taillights are illuminated. I of course have verified this.

In my European CX-5 from 2023 the DRL's are on in mode 1 and when the car is moving.
The same in mode 2 when the car decided to not switch on the headlights because the ambient light is too strong and also when the car is moving. The tail lights are off in both cases.

Mode 3 the tail lights and position lights are on. They are not called DRL's.

 

[N7turbo]

By 22+ you mean the ones with the fancy square like tail lights? Yes, I've seen some of those, too.

I'll have to look closer the next time I get in the CX-5. In the '24 MX-5, the tail lights are illuminated in all modes while driving-- I can see the red glow behind me.

 

[N7turbo]

Just tested my 2023 Turbo on Auto = tail lights are on.

 

[hsdejong]

Just tested my 2023 Turbo on Auto = tail lights are on.

Yes, but not when the car has decided that the ambient light is too strong and is only using the DRLs. Then the tail lighs are off. At least in my European car.

 

[youri]

There is a table in the owner manuals that says exactly what is on or off with eaxh switch settings:

https://www.mazda.ca/en/digital-owners-manual/2023/cx-5/contents/05030100.html

Canada has a different settings than the US because of the mandatory DRLs.

 

[jadmt]

just got back from a road trip from Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota and back and drove through much fog thru the entire length of North Dakota on the way and I was amazed at the amount of people who had neither headlights or taillights on..