Why do cars have "parking lights"? What are they used for?

At night:
If a car is parked and the engine off do you need the parking lights?
If a car is parked and the engine is running do you need the p lights?
If the car is moving then the p lights are no longer applicable, right?
In fact I believe it is against the law to drive with only the p lights.
So other than the fact the in most vehicles, the p lights and the directional signal share the same light fixture, is there any occasion whereby I will need to have the p lights on at all?
Additional Details
You guys missed my point. Never mind the rigs cause they got tons of marker lights. sounds like when you park at home you leave your park lights on so people can see the car. If you are moving then you are no longer parked. If you are trying to park at night you are still moving so you are in violation of traffic laws. I guess if people are willing to pay five bucks for a pet rock they will remain happy with their park light. I wonder if car manufacturers looked at the applicability of this, afterall its once more thing to save in manufacturing cost if eliminated. Stay with the issue folks, nothing personal please.

Jhawks11

Are you serious?? Don't you have anything better to do with your time than to ask something so worthless in life. It really doesn't matter whether a car has parking lights or not as long as it has turn signals. I would imagine parking lights are used just like truckers use them on the side of the roads at night so people see them and not run into them while they are sleeping in their rig.

davidm2232

yes. parking lights could be used when you pull to the side of the road to stop for a minute and still be visible. also, they can be used as marker lights to light up your car without running the headlights to save the battery and fuel.

TQH

Your parking lights help other drivers determine the size and shape of your car when you have poor visibility. Notice the marker lights outline your car therefore enhancing it's size and shape.

sgoldperson

Actually most cars use them with remote starters, so helps you find your car as well. After all how many people will have their remote starter hit or car running, you have an idea of what car is yours. They are used at night when you are stopped and "parking". Whether it be for a moment or actually parking. I've turned off my headlights when correcting my parking in the spot so that my headlights didn't distract drivers coming up the road. As others said it is also helpful in telling you where the side of a car is, which is a lesser use on cars.

StephenWeinstein

The so-called "parking" lights also go on automatically whenever you use the headlights, and cannot be safely eliminated.

Parking lights are theoretically required when you leave the car parked for a short time, other than in a business or residential area. However, this is rarely enforced because most enforcement of traffic laws occurs either in places where it is illegal to park or in business or residential areas.

It is illegal to drive with only the parking lights when headlights are required. It is legal to drive with only the parking lights when headlights are not required (but it is also legal to drive without the parking lights when headlights are not required).

When leaving the car parked for a long time with the engine off, you do not use any lights, because they would drain the battery.

When leaving the car parked in a residential or commercial area, you also do need parking lights.

George A

When the first automobiles were made, lights were installed on the vehicles that were to be turned on after dark & only when the vehicle was parked to alert other passing motorists that there was a parked vehicle sitting in the dark. This is how the term "parking lights" came to be & even though they are not used in that capacity anymore, parking lights are still required as part of the safety standards set forth by the government on all cars manufactured in the US today.

Dimo J

It was a dark and foggy night, I was driving my gray van (fondly known as "The Beached Whale" -- half as fast and twice as ugly.) I stopped by the local cafe for a late dinner, parking the gray van in the gray fog. I left it with the parking lights on.

Scallywag

Park lights probably do not serve as much purpose on an automobile other than for parking at night. However on larger vehicles such as trucks they serve to give warning that the vehicle is large and are called marker or clearance lights

(Phantom)

Parking lights also known as marker lights or running lights are needed.I think "parking lights" is a bad term to use, as "marker or running lights" is a better term to use, and for that reason i'll refer to them as "marker lights" in this post. They are on cars/trucks to "comunicate" to other drivers on the road of your location. Parking your car/truck with the engine off you'll not need any lights on, this will only leave you with a dead battery. There is no condition where you have to just run "marker lights". If it is getting dark or is dark out, it is safer to run all lights, marker lights and headlights. Again the whole point of lights is for you to see the road and other driver see you. On your point of "marker lights" and signal/brake lights in the same fixture, the marker lights always stay on, Your signal/brake lights will flash brighter thus "communicating" your intentions to turn or stop.So it's all about letting other drivers see you when on the road.

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