I don't know what the rules on them are, but where I live here in WNY, most of the people are polite enough to dim them when we are driving close behind or facing another car. But we have a very large and active wild animal population and the only way you can see them in enough time to safely brake or dodge them, is to have the extra feet of visibility that high beams give you. I drive to work in the dark. I spend a lot of my time flipping them on and off. My car is small and some if these deer here are HUGE.