Method for operating a headlight system comprising at least one headlight (11, 12) in a vehicle, in which - the light distribution in the surroundings of the vehicle is detected, - the light pattern to be emitted by the at least one headlight (11, 12) for illuminating the surroundings of the vehicle is calculated based on the detected light distribution, and - the at least one headlight (11, 12) is controlled according to the calculated light pattern, - an inhomogeneous light distribution having regions (B1 - B3) of different light intensity being detected in the surroundings of the vehicle, - the light pattern emitted by the at least one headlight (11, 12) has a base light pattern by means of which the light distribution (LVO') is homogenized, a light emission of the at least one headlight (11, 12) being increased in the direction of particularly poorly illuminated regions in the surroundings of the vehicle and being decreased in the direction of strongly reflective regions, and - information regarding the traffic situation in the surroundings of the vehicle is detected, characterized in that - the development over time of the light distribution (LVO - LV3) in the surroundings of the vehicle and the viewing direction of the driver is detected and taken into account in the calculation of the light pattern, - the traffic situation is associated with a criticality class, - the light pattern to be emitted by the at least one headlight (11, 12) is adapted based on the associated criticality class, and - if the traffic situation is associated with a high criticality class, with which an increased traffic risk is associated, an additional light pattern is calculated that is superposed on the base light pattern, a spatially and/or temporally inhomogeneous light pattern being generated that has in the light distribution (LV1 - LV3) a light intensity that is increased in regions and/or temporarily. - the light distribution in the surroundings of the vehicle is detected, - the light pattern to be emitted by the at least one headlight (11, 12) for illuminating the surroundings of the vehicle is calculated based on the detected light distribution, and - the at least one headlight (11, 12) is controlled according to the calculated light pattern, - an inhomogeneous light distribution having regions (B1 - B3) of different light intensity being detected in the surroundings of the vehicle, - the light pattern emitted by the at least one headlight (11, 12) has a base light pattern by means of which the light distribution (LVO') is homogenized, a light emission of the at least one headlight (11, 12) being increased in the direction of particularly poorly illuminated regions in the surroundings of the vehicle and being decreased in the direction of strongly reflective regions, and - information regarding the traffic situation in the surroundings of the vehicle is detected, characterized in that - the development over time of the light distribution (LVO - LV3) in the surroundings of the vehicle and the viewing direction of the driver is detected and taken into account in the calculation of the light pattern, - the traffic situation is associated with a criticality class, - the light pattern to be emitted by the at least one headlight (11, 12) is adapted based on the associated criticality class, and - if the traffic situation is associated with a high criticality class, with which an increased traffic risk is associated, an additional light pattern is calculated that is superposed on the base light pattern, a spatially and/or temporally inhomogeneous light pattern being generated that has in the light distribution (LV1 - LV3) a light intensity that is increased in regions and/or temporarily.