Many people confuse the difference between fog lights and driving lights. Some people even believe that they are the same. The basic difference is that fog lights are designed to place a wide pattern of light directly in front of the vehicle and driving lights are designed to place light further forward than the vehicle’s high beams . A fog light beam pattern extends well out to each side of the road often illuminating the shoulder. The beam doesn’t extend any further forward than the area illuminated by the vehicle’s low beams. Fog light lenses can either be amber or clear. One of the main advantages of fog lights is their sharp cutoff. The main reason why it is difficult to see while driving in the fog at night is due to the light reflected back from the fog. A sharp cutoff helps to reduce the amount of light reflected back at the driver.

Driving lights serve a different purpose. They are intended to provide lighting further forward than the area illuminated by a vehicle’s high beams and are intended for use on clear nights. Most often, these lights don’t have a cutoff. The lenses are usually clear, but I’ve seen some unusual colors.