Abstract: A headlight has a parabolic shaped reflector (8) with an incandescent lamp whose filament (13) is defocussed, or approximately at a focus point for distribution, by the reflector. A light-transmissive shield (4) has upper and lower zones (1 and 2) with prism-like optical devices (5 and 6) thereon which are respectively positioned above and below a horizontal middle plane of the reflector. Both zones are bordered by a vertical middle plane of the headlight. The upper zone extends to an oncoming traffic side while the lower zone extends to the other side and its upper edge is approximately bordered by the horizontal middle portion of the reflector. In this connection, the prism-like optical devices are arranged so that light beams passing therethrough are diverted to a partial area (100, 200) of a light figure of the headlight which, on a driving side, is at a higher level than on the oncoming traffic side.