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What are ditch lights and why are they useful?

For a really great explanation of ditch lights paired with real-world examples of how they’re useful, check out the KC Academy video below that we did to cover this topic. For more detail and expansion on ditch lights, continue reading the rest of the article.

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Ditch Lights Defined

The reason behind calling a particular set of lights “Ditch lights” is inherently simple: they simply light up the ditches or sides of the trails. Typically, the intent behind using these auxiliary lights is to enhance periphery vision so that it is easier to identify upcoming obstacles, animals, and other potential hazards.

“Ditch lights” is the most commonly used term for lights that achieve this effect, but there are some other common names for them that you may hear on the trails. These all stem from where they get mounted onto the vehicle, and the terms include a-pillar lights and cowl lights.

Mounting Locations for Ditch Lights

Due to where the lights get mounted, they are oftentimes one of the first aftermarket lighting upgrades that people will install onto their off-road vehicles. These lights get mounted o