Final answer:
Virginia motorists must turn on their headlights from sunset to sunrise, during poor visibility, and when windshield wipers are in continuous use. The Moon does not produce enough light to blind drivers. And, if headlights are accidentally left on, a fully charged 100 Ah battery could power two 12-V headlights (each 40 W) for about 15 hours.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Virginia, motorists are required to turn on their headlights during conditions where visibility is severely limited, such as in rain, fog, snow, or when darkness falls. Virginia law specifically mandates that headlights must be used from sunset to sunrise and anytime the driver cannot see at least 500 feet ahead. These rules also apply when windshield wipers are in continuous use due to precipitation or mist. Therefore, it is not plausible for the Moon to cause blinding light akin to that of the sun, as the brightness of the Moon is significantly lower. Lastly, in the case of an emergency, such as a pregnant woman in labor at 4 am, while the Rational Utilitarian (RU) might believe that the greater good is served by running a red light to quickly get to the hospital, legally, running red lights is not allowed, and one must still proceed with caution.
If a driver is running late to catch a plane and accidentally leaves the headlights on, with a 12-V automobile battery rated at 100 Ah and two 12-V headlights each at 40 W, the driver can calculate the time the headlights will stay on. The total wattage is 80 W (40 W per headlight), and since Amps (A) = Watts (W) / Volts (V), the current draw is 80 W / 12 V = 6.67 A. Therefore, the duration the headlights could stay on would be the battery's capacity divided by the current draw, which is 100 Ah / 6.67 A, equaling approximately 15 hours.