A wet afternoon can make familiar streets feel different. Before concentrating on gear changes and junctions, make sure you understand the lighting controls. Knowing where a switch is matters just as much as recognising its name in a theory question.
I’m Elvis Begic, your instructor at Rijschool in Maastricht. In my manual Volkswagen Golf, we can discuss the controls in English or Dutch before setting off. You do not need to pretend you already understand every dashboard symbol.
Three distinctions worth learning
Rijksoverheid explains that daytime running lights do not switch on the rear lights in every car. Front fog lights are permitted when fog, snowfall or rain seriously obstruct visibility. Rear fog lights are only permitted in fog or snowfall with visibility below 50 metres—not in heavy rain.
Check the official guidance on car lighting for the full overview. In particular, do not treat front and rear fog lights as a single setting with identical rules.
Start with the car parked
Ask your instructor to show you the controls while the car is safely parked. A useful exercise is to name the light you want, find its control and explain how you would check the selected setting.
Work through one function at a time. If you are used to a different car, say so: remembering a switch from another vehicle is not the same as finding it confidently in this one. An automatic setting is also something to understand, rather than a reason to stop checking.
You can write a short vocabulary pair in your study notes: dipped headlights means dimlicht, daytime running lights means dagrijverlichting, and rear fog light means mistachterlicht. Discuss any unfamiliar term before the car moves.
Connect a rule to a real observation
Imagine two situations: rain on a journey towards Meerssen, and fog on another morning near Bunde. These are learning examples, not a weather report or a promised lesson route.
Instead of asking only “Which button?”, ask “What can I actually see, what has changed, and which rule applies?” Do not infer visibility from the place name, month or whether the road has street lamps. Describe the conditions you observe and discuss your decision with your instructor.
The point is not to memorise a special Maastricht answer. You want a way of thinking that also works on an unfamiliar road.
A short practice routine for your next lesson
- Before moving off, identify the relevant controls and ask about anything unclear.
- During the lesson, notice when the surroundings change and discuss the lighting decision when safe.
- After parking, explain one choice in your own words.
- Before the following lesson, revisit the rule you found difficult.
This is a suggested learning routine, not an official exam marking checklist. If looking for a switch distracts you, tell your instructor so the explanation can happen at a suitable stopping place.
Keep the lesson goal small and clear
Learning manual car control already takes attention. Rather than trying to master every dashboard function at once, agree on one concrete question for the lesson. For example: “I want to understand the difference between daytime lights and the lighting I select for the conditions.”
Read more about calm, patient driving instruction or preparing for your first driving lessons. For theory study in English or Dutch, you can also use ViaTheoria.
Discuss lessons in Maastricht and nearby towns
I provide personal manual driving lessons in English and Dutch. Whether you contact me from Maastricht, Meerssen, Bunde or Gronsveld, tell me your experience and the situations you want to understand better.
See current lesson prices and packages or contact Elvis about your learning goals. We can discuss a suitable next step and current arrangements without promising a fixed number of lessons or an exam result.
Official lighting guidance checked on 18 October 2026. Follow the current rules and the conditions you actually encounter.