A city light , also called a parking light or position light , is a dim red or white light located at the front and rear of a vehicle . It is used to make a stationary vehicle visible in the dark, for example, when parked along the road.
1. Characteristics of a city light
✅ Weaker than low beam → Primarily intended to make the vehicle visible, not to illuminate the road.
✅ Usually white at the front, red at the back → Conforms to international regulations.
✅ Switches on with the light switch → Can be used separately or in combination with low beam.
✅ Low power consumption → Because it often remains switched on for a long time when parking.
✅ In some countries mandatory when parking in the dark outside built-up areas .
2. When do you use city lights?
📌 When parking on dark roads → Helps other road users notice a stationary vehicle.
📌 For extra visibility at dusk → Sometimes switched on before low beam is needed.
📌 As a marker light for moving vehicles → Especially for older cars, trucks or motorcycles.
📌 In combination with low beam or high beam → To make the vehicle more visible without additional lighting.
💡 Please note: City lights are not intended as driving lights and do not replace low or high beams.
3. Difference between city lights, low beams and other lighting
| Light type | Goal | Colour | Intenseness | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City light (Position light) | Visibility of a stationary vehicle | White (front), Red (back) | Weak | When parking, or as an additional marker light |
| Low beam | Driving lights at night and in poor visibility | White or yellow | Bright | Standard driving lights |
| High beam | Maximum illumination at long distance | White | Very bright | Only on dark, empty roads |
| Daytime running lights (DRL) | Extra visibility during the day | White | Bright, but less than low beam | Turns on automatically on modern cars |
| Fog light | Visibility in fog | White or yellow (front), Red (back) | Bright | Only in dense fog |
📌 City lights are purely intended to make a vehicle visible and are not suitable as primary driving lights.
4. Legislation and obligation
📌 Mandatory in many countries when parking after dark outside built-up areas.
📌 City lights are turned on by default when low beam or high beam are on.
📌 Defective city lights can cause MOT rejection if they are part of the mandatory lighting.
💡 In short:
A city light (position light) is a dim white (front) or red (rear) light used to make a stationary vehicle visible . It is not a driving light , but is used for parking in the dark and as additional marker lights.