New state law will prohibit use of light bar devices on roads
On July 13, 2017, NC Gov. Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 182: An act to prohibit the use of light bar lighting devices on a motor vehicle while the motor vehicle is being driven on the highways of this state.
Motorists will soon be outside the law if they are operating LED light bars while driving on public roadways.
Gov. Roy Cooper signed Senate Bill 182 into law on July 13, 2017. It is “An act to prohibit the use of light bar lighting devices on a motor vehicle while the motor vehicle is being driven on the highways of this state.”
The bill language states that “no person shall drive a motor vehicle on the highways of this State while using a light bar lighting device. This subsection does not apply to or otherwise restrict use of a light bar lighting device with strobing lights. For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘light bar lighting device’ means a bar-shaped lighting device comprised of multiple lamps capable of projecting a beam of light at an intensity greater than [25 candlepower].”
The law will go into effect on October 1, 2017.
Please define ” highway”
Is that to include deer infested back roads with low traffic? And poorly lit inner city roads with small children often running out into the street?
And the measurement in ” candlepower”, modern LED is measured in “lumens” or wattage. Candlepower is for Wal-Mart flashlights.
Using bright lights around deer are the last thing you want to do as they start running towards the light, running from their shadow. Low set yellow lights work best for that and reduced speed.
As a person that runs a 52 inch light bar across the top of my truck. This is completely flash. Yeah your lights on your car are just lights that cause the whole deer in headlights effect. But the led light bar is so bright, it hurts their eyes and they will run from it. I have had deer jump in the roadway, look at me, and turn around and jump right back off. They absolutely hate it
I run two stacked 54 inch light bars and I agree with you run hate the light if it’s bright but I never run my lights around houses or Other drivers
The issue is its blinding to drivers because it is mounted so high!
I agree! I want to add a light bar to the bottom of my bumper just so I can see while driving I10 at night. Anywhere outside of major city lights is pitch black. I just got back from my trip out to west Texas last month and I almost hit a concrete construction barricade just outside of San Antonio. The road turned almost 90 degrees, but there was no signage or reflectors in the work zone. The lighting and signage is so poor on some stretches of I10 in Texas I had to go 55-60 in 80 mph zones.
I find the low-mounted lights, pointing flat out, much more intense than a high-mounted light aiming down in the street.
It’s not the deer that have the problem. It is oncoming traffic. It’s bad enough on the highway, two-lane and four-lane alike, people don’t dim their lights for oncoming traffic. If people drove the speed limits, the need to see further ahead would not be an issue. The LED light-bars, on the other hand, are absolutely blinding to the drivers of oncoming vehicles, and unless the center medians of interstate highways are a quarter-mile or wider, they are going to blind you. If you want daytime lighting conditions, don’t drive at night. They must remain illegal on the roadways.
100% agree.
Yeah, i totally agree……
So my Smaller Light bar 24-30” Mounted low on front of my Pick up truck. Is great I love it!!
SO I DROVE AHEAD OF IT ON AND IT WAS NOT BAD. AT ALL AS I HAVE IT AIMED LOW…. not into ONCOMING TRAFFIC…. SOME OF THE NEW TRUCKS & CARS IS LITES ARE WAY WAY BRIGHTER AND. THEY ARE ….. FACTORY. YUP FACTORY. COME ON PEOPLE. REALLY. I TURN MINE OFF AS A COURTESY…. THEN MOST PEOPLE WILL DIM THEIRS TO AFTER I DO. DUH…. BIT I THINK THR PROBLEM IS MOUNTING LOCATION AND LACK OF PROPER AIMING. IS ALL. ALSO SOME PEOPLE WAY OVER DO IT. CHECK WITH YOUR STATE FIRST. THEN SO IT CORRECTLY. OR PLEASE DON’T AT ALL AND BE POLITE.
Those light bars also totally blind any automobile driver coming toward you especially when it’s raining or foggy you can’t not see, is like a white blanket in front of your windshield, when the light bar is facing opposing traffic or drivers, It’s been known to cause fatalities
What about the poor driver that is coming from the other direction, what will they see?
I have never seen a deer run to a bright light! They mostly stand steal!
I see deer almost every night.
No, deer do not run towards lights. It allows drivers to see their eyes in the dark
It’s not rocket science ANY USE OF A BAR LIGHT REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS POSITIONED ON THE VEHICLE IS AGAINST THE LAW ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE WOODS,FIELD,FARM ETC.
P.S. Off road means not on any highway,city street or any road in city of country. These OFF Road Bar Lights are exactly what they say. Not for use on any normal thoroughfare you use to get from point A or B. Main use is for hunting or camping area excluding RV Parks and campgrounds. Check with the campground or RV Park they have their rules as well.
Any automotive LED lights you buy now will say, “For Off Road Use Only”, but they allow you to install them in areas such as the license plate light. They really should say, “For Responsible Use Only”. I have LED headlights, tail lights, switchback signals, LED license plate light and LED reverse lights. They are perfectly fine for ON ROAD USE when installed and used properly.
There you are WRONG. Altering the lighting on any vehicle which Changes that vehicle from its factory specifications is ILLEGAL according to NHSTA regulations. That includes brake lights, tail lights, turn signals, and HEADLIGHTS. Look up section 108 and read it. Or ask any DOT enforcement officer.
People are sick and tired of being blinded by people modifying their headlights and law-enforcement is starting to take notice And it’s only a matter of time before the idiots who do this will start getting pulled over and ticketed.
The NHSTA does not approve vehicles and vehicle parts being manufactured or imported into the US. The NHSTA does provide certification for manufacturers and importers and maintains a registry. Car owners and driver DO NOT need to worry about NHSTA regulations as they apply exclusively to manufacturers. The actual regulations that vehicles and parts need to meet are covered in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, FMVSS.
Lighting is specifically covered under Standard No. 108. These standards cover the laboratory test procedures that manufacturers must use and pass in order to sell parts in the US. Again, car owners and drivers DO NOT need to worry about FMVSS regulations because they apply exclusively to parts being made, imported, and sold in the US. If you are buying parts for your car and it is from a certified company under the NHSTA, then you are buying parts that have been tested and passed safety tests.
However, it is paramount that when making any modifications to a vehicle that the modification is within the limits defined by state laws. State laws are what motorists NEED to follow in order to pass inspection (and avoid getting ticketed by police). For lighting, people modifying their cars need to keep in mind the position, visibility, color coding, and intensity of the lights being used. While light bars can be mounted to vehicles, their use is banned on most public roads because the intensity and/or position of the light bars blind other drivers and can cause drivers to have accidents.
If you cannot see well enough with the standard lights installed on a car, then three things need to be addressed:
1). Check light position. Low beam should project far enough to adequately light the road for sub-highway speeds (55mph or less). High beam should project far enough to adequately light the road at highway speeds (greater than 55mph).
2). Check light clarity and intensity. If headlights are inadequately bright and/or if the headlight lens is fogged, sun-faded, or dirty then the light needs to be changed and the lens needs to be cleaned.
3). Check your speed. If you are doing 80mph on a county highway at night then you are going too fast, regardless of your light modifications. Cars are actually expected to go 5-15mph slower at night than during the day, and in many areas there is a separate speed limit for night time driving. Light bars in these situations become a crutch that gives drivers a false sense of security and an excuse to speed.
Light bars are meant for off-highway use. Many people might find themselves out driving fields, trails, or service roads at night. Light bars are meant for those situations and should be used in any situation where there is a likelihood of running into things like fallen trees, animals, ditches, fences, rocks, etc…
So if you do install a light bar (or several), put them on a separate circuit from the headlights and mount a toggle switch (or an array of switches for different lights) in the car. Keep the lights off when driving on the highway, and if they lights are adjustable, turn them so they face down sharply at the road. That way if the light turns on accidently, it won’t blind other drivers. If the lights are not adjustable, buy or make covers for the lights. Not only would covers prevent blinding other drivers, but they would protect the lights from damage until they are needed.
really? People modifying headlamps is the least of problems. They are doing this as a RESPONSE. What about the cars that come with lights that are extremely bright and hard to see past as they are STOCK? What about those new LASER headlamps? Yes. You read that correctly. Lasers. And you think someone changing the bulb type is such a problem?
If I can’t see at night I’m using my light bar so I don’t wreck. If someone is coming I always turn it off.
Did you not read the law? IT SAYS HIGHWAY ONLY
Mr Chandler, you can buy light bars that are used for driving. They even say, for driving.
They sell DOT approved LED light bars
Thanks for showing your ignorance. “Candlepower” is a term that has been around and is still being widely used. Only in recent years have people starting using the term lumens… and that has nothing to do with Walmart or cheap flashlights. Even junk flashlights from any store, including Walmart, are now rated in lumens. Some products have ratings published in candlepower, some in both, and some in just lumens.
Just because you don’t like the sound of the word or don’t know the word, that does not make the word irrelevant.
You might want to brush up on your terminology before attempting to have a conversation using it. BOTH candlepower (actually microcandella) and lumens are relevant. Lumens are total output while the MCD is intensity. Both, along with aim and beam shape are very relevant and light bars are far too floody for public roads even if they offer a tigher beam pattern vs a flood model. Simplifying it comes down to focal length and needing a deeper housing or much more expensive lens array.
Amen Governor Cooper don’t have to drive the back roads and see what that grow people have to deal with with deer and children running out he don’t care all he cares about is getting paid
These lights are blinding! That’s the bottom line! There are too many people who use high beams all the time without regard for other drivers visibility. But, these light bars actually force you to squint or look away! That’s potentially a deadly involuntary reaction!
1 people should used them responsibly. Mine is never on near traffic.
2 most modern OEM Factory headlights at low beam are brighter that most light bars.
And now because of this law I cant use mine on amber for plowing. My bar is multi color with multi function. I use white on back roads no traffic no houses. I use amber strobe for plow but the way this law is written because is a “light bar” I’m not allowed to use it at all. Not never amber
It says “This subsection does not apply to or otherwise restrict use of a light bar lighting device with strobing lights.” So you’re fine to keep using your amber strobe. This law is specifically written to prohibit the use of the white mode that distracts drivers because of how high they’re usually mounted.
As a retired professional driver, I will back up these statements 100%. Particularly on interstate highways. People don’t realize how much glare there is across the center medians. Even when given a quick flash they still will not dim their lights. It is particularly dangerous for people who are especially affected by extra-bright lights. Misdirected auxiliary lights are a problem too because if they are available, people will use them, needed or not. If you are driving at speeds that put your reaction time at risk, you are speeding and overdriving your headlights.
So do all lights
They will be imposing heavy fines for these lights. They are for off road use only. Highways,City Streets & Rural Roads fall under House Bill 182 under NC General Statutes.
Absolutely TRUE.
I have a light bar on my truck and run it on back roads with little to no road lights, I love it, light bars have saved me from deer, cows and people who are in the road, yes they are blinding but I turn it off when passing or following a car I think it is wrong to making them illegal, maybe illegal to have a very big one like 50 inches but a 12 inch isn’t going to hurt no one
I agree man i got a little one on my truck because my headlights arent bright
I love them too! ( i even went on to put a 20 in. Light bar on my 2008 ford focus) But yes, they are blinding! Here in el paso texas ppl are buying led headlights too!And i do not enjoy that these things make me feel annoyed because i keep thinking everyone has their brights on.
I’m in Las Cruces and whenever I go out I start counting all the trucks, and cars, with light bars. Dude, this is NEW MEXICO there isn’t enough trees to make it that difficult to drive at night. I rarely use my high beams on my car. And needing light bars here for offroading? Why are the tumbleweeds or mesquites that big that they people need all these lights? What it comes down to is they are what everyone is doing so everyone is copying to fit in. Just like the fast n furious people installing mufflers the size of trashcans just to sound like a lawnmower or moped on steroids. Or putting huge wings on these 4 bangers when they are FRONTWHEEL DRIVE! They take traction away from the powered wheels. Oh and how bout the diesel gang? These aren’t for work but turboed and think its cool to blow exhaust at everyone.
So it’s one thing to upgrade lighting to see better but this has become a follow the leader and social status. If it was so hard to see at night then why do people buy covers or tint their lights? NM is lucky they don’t have yearly inspections because about 60% of the vehicles would be parked. Trust me, I lived on the east coast most of my life.
The lights on my old pickup are very dim and a 12″ bar really helps and while iv been blinded many times it hasn’t been by light bars but rather fog lights or newer model factory head lights
I just put one on my 02 monte carlo because of dim lights. I treat it just like brights just with more distance between the on coming vehicle.
Absolutely agree! It’s one thing to codify how vehicle lights are mounted, so as to not blind other drivers. Instead of banning their use, they should define properly installed lights – what is useable, & guidelines to safely use them.
I don’t think they are banned where I live yet, so I’m cramming information, to see if I can install what I need before they do… You see, my factory headlights have fogged enough that visibility is badly degraded. Replacement lights, factory & aftermarket are too expensive for me to be able to buy them. Tried to have them buffed out, but little improved, & they soon based over again. I can afford to get some kinds of light bar & install them safely (not blinding), for about 1/4 the money.!!
All I can say is you had better not use your light bars on ANY public paved surface or you shall be cited.
Cited by who? You? I’m gonna run them and just pay the ticket if I get it.
what about gravel roads .. whats the definition of “hi way”
My gripe is so many drivers are very inconsiderate and DO NOT DIM THEIR STOCK HIGH BEAMS. I was told a light bar or fog lights are legal off mounted under your headlights and of course directed no higher than your low beams. I think I’ll ask a Highway patrolman here in Mississippi
Yeah I mounted a 12 inch light bar on a moped and loved using it on back roads
I do the same and completely agree
I have a 52 in light bar and a 42 in on my truck with 2 light pods and I run in on the roads and turn it off when I see a car or following a car it’s saved me from hitting deers dogs just about anything I don’t think they should put a law on them
Those of you who don’t want the law and say you turn yours off for courtesy is all well and good but you represent the .01% of ppl who have them and have consideration for the effect on other drivers. Ive seen the little ones that aren’t so bad but my neighbor’s son has a big one he says he has to use cuz his headlights face down at the road and he can’t see ahead rather than adjust his headlights up to shine ahead. Everytime he comes up over a dip at night you get blinded so bad you can’t hardly see a thing but a big bright line for a mile or 2. My truck has regular well adjusted headlights and I live in the country (14yrs) and have yet to hit a possum let alone a dog or a deer. Maybe need to not speed at night during the migrating/mating season!
I have traditional stock headlights on my kia forte and the stock position of the headlights is terrible i brought the light up some but now people constantly flash me even with my low beams but without the lights up i cant see anything i drive mostly on backroads and have hit multiple deer that were already dead countless skid plates, splash guards have been destroyed as well and even my bumper just from debri being able to see and following correct driver educated i believe they should never be outlawed.
Do you think this could blind a driver coming around a curve and force them off the road?
I have two little 4 inch light bars that are about the size of my fog lights that I want to put on my truck does anybody know if I can run them on road or do I have to shut them off while on the road
You need to turn your fog lights off tooo when meeting traffic
I live near open range roads.
It’s an hour into and back out of town.
It’s near thegrandcanyon in Arizona.
It’s a regular occurrence and not abnormal to see dead cows all along the road. In addition I’ve almost hit them. A good friend of mine hit one. My wife driving home from town last year came upon a gruesome seen of a Fiat that wounded and killed 5 cows all in one collision.
Last week she and I were headed back from town. We came upon yet another seen of a mortality wounded cow and shocked driver and passenger. They won’t fence the roads and we are sick to death of all the deaths, cattle and humans.
I don’t want my wife or I to he the next statistic.
I will put a light bar on my truck. I will be careful to not shine it on an upcoming driver.
There’s no way in my humble opinion the laws should prohibit these life saving lights in these types of situations.
Thoughts ?
Do you have to have an amber light permit on the vehicle in the state of North Carolina?
I was about to ask same thing because I know you don’t need one or use to not need one because I am a volunteer firefighter in North Carolina and in some states say in order to have any kind of amber flashing emergency lights you need a permit but I was wondering if it changed to were you did need a permit.
NOPE.
If you need to use excessively bright lights, like light bars on the road way . Also complain about the head lights not being bright enough at factory specs. YOUR DRIVING TOO FAST FOR THE CONDITIONS OF THE ROADS, SLOW DOWN RECKLESS DRIVERS!
Light travels at 189,000 miles per second. I should be able to drive that fast.
Another perfect comment.
I just put a 21.5 light bar on my Kia Rio Bc when my girl drives at night she can barely see whether it’s a lit up road or not. How ever she doesn’t use the bar if on coming traffic or following a vehicle only when no cars. There’s a difference between actually needing the light bar for visual use and using it respectfully then using it to blind someone that’s all I’m saying.
I hope that they outlaw them all. I live in a rural area with many deer, livestock, critters, etc. I use stock headlights that are bright, but not by the “new” standards of these LEDs and HIDs on many cars. A previous poster hit the nail on the head when they said all of you that turn these lights off are in the 0.01% of those that do. And even with you, all it takes is that one time where you pop up over a hill with me coming in the opposite direction and you have them on. It is blinding, and on these rural roads, they are not that wide so any reaction that I may have to correct and steer away from this vehicle that has appeared will take me towards the ditch. You can all say what you want, but it just takes that one time to blind someone momentarily and cause them to wreck, while you continue on down the road telling people that you turn them off. I have a neighbor that just started using one all the time on our county roads that goes across the entire top of his cab, and it is terribly blinding and he does not turn them off. So when those of us voice our dislike of them, please know that MOST people do not have any courtesy or brains on when to use them on-road. And even those that have the best intention to turn them off, it just takes that one time to really ruin someone’s day and put them in the ditch. Therefore, IMHO they need to be allowed for off-road use only, and I would like to see them go one step further and require covers on them when on public roads, as people will still use them if they are uncovered and therefore “available”.
PERFECT COMMENT! Absolutely PERFECT!
I have been blinded and flashed my high beams on a vehicle that has a full led bar on top and on bumper. Never turned the lights off. I use k.c daylighters on back roads because I can see for a mile. If someone is coming towards me I turn them off. But these led bars I am glad they make them illegal because the lights can cause an accident. I am thinking about a camera so if this happens I can show proof. Be respectful of others. Turn them off even if it is a 4 lane, 2 lane or a 6 lane road. Thanks
Nice comment, but BOTH are illegal to use on the public roadways.
There are a handful of manufacturers that produce street legal light bars (FMVSS compliant). It will be interesting to see how this shakes out with people who own those lightbars.
NO LIGHT BARS ARE LEGAL TO USE ON THE ROADWAYS.
Can I use the bar light on the road when no one else is on the road? I get off work at 10:30pm where I am no one is on the road then. And then I go in at 4:55am again no one is on the road, can I use them?
In ONE WORD………
NOPE!
Do laws disappear if you (think you) are alone on the road? Read the laws and see if they make this exemption. They don’t. It is illegal to merely install the lights and be on public roads. You don’t have to USE them to be breaking the law.
If I am at a car show on the street AND parked ) can I have a red/ blue light bar on a Mustang interceptor hooked up to a second battery and have it hooked up to a push button switch be legal ?
I know on privet property they cant do anything
In the state of Washington state
Absolutely NOT. If you are on the public roadways AT ALL… it is TOTALLY ILLEGAL!
I just bought a 22inch light bar for my 1995 Jeep Wrangler I mean come on it’s a 24 year old Jeep and when I’m on the backroads it really helps light up the road and the woods around. I love it! It has saved my life a couple times from animals crossing to seeing upcoming turns and road signs a good distance away. Absolutely worth the money in my opinion I feel that as long as you are using them responsibly you should be okay
Nope. Illegal to use them at all on the roadways.
I’ve got my truck wired up with plenty of these bars. 1 50 inch over the cab and a 20 and 30 inch on my grill and bumper. I’ve also got 4 12 inch bars under my running boards. I just almost never use them, like the way they look though, prefer to have the option and not have to use them ever kinda like my truck bed. Have it but hardly ever use it. My question is can you still get a ticket just for having them present on the vehicle or does it pertain only if they are in operation?
Only pertains to the USE of them.
Depends on the state. It is never legal to modify the primary headlights, but in some states light bars and other aux lights are allowed if not used, but in others they must have covers over them whenever on public roads so they can’t be used. How many light bars come with covers? Certainly not most of the cheap generics.
Hello Everyone,
I landed here after searching to see if mounting a 26 imxh light bar on the rear of 2009 jeep patriot would be legal. My reason for this is high beamers from the rear. In PA people love to highbeam. I would only use it when I can’t even see through my mirrors because my cab is lit up from someone high beaming me from the rear. I HATE IT! Keep your distance please!…
Well, I’ve got an H3 Hummer with a quad-row 52″ spread across the windshield, two 8″ multi-color strobable on the hood by the wiper blades, a 32″ mounted inside the grill air dam, two more amber 8″ mounted low center in front. I don’t use them on roads when moving. My favorite are the two 8″ lights strobeable mounted on either side of my hitch. Those I use whenever backing up (normal light mode), and full-on strobing whenever someone is right behind me with their brights on… so I’m operating within the law and the jagoff behind me (who IS being illegal driving behind me with his brights on). BTW, this is where dashcams and rear-cams are very useful. Before I got the rear-firing strobes I had constructed an awesome tool from a set of vertical blinds – they were silver/reflective and I cut them to fit my rear window and mounted them across the back on a motorized pulley. Press the button and they slid across the back window and acted like a mirror for the fool driving behind me with his brights on. Completely legal, but very cumbersome to implement and the strobes are much more fun.
Factory headlights on newer vehicles are the same, if not brighter. Shall ride around with mine, in the bumper angled down like always. Pass many law enforcement with no problem. 🤷🏾♂️😅
I agree with mac, why can’t people have led light bars on their vehicle when the lights in newer vehicles are very bright and they are led and they are blinding when people forget to turn on their dim lights and what if you are on a backroad and your normal headlights aren’t bright enough so you can turn them on and they make it to where you can see where your going
Found this by accident.Light bars and accessory lights are very popular in Australia. Laws are that if you use them on the road they must be wired into the high beam dimmer switch. Switch to low beam they go off. They are also switched so the high beam can work without the acc lights.
The important thing is that we also have laws that prohibit High Beam in “built up areas” (where there are street lights) and within specified distances of oncoming traffic.
Maybe these are the type of rules that you may find acceptable?
Just use LED light pods. I’ve got four Rigid pods on the front of my Jeep that put out a tremendous amount of light when needed. I turn them off for oncoming traffic and do not use them behind other vehicles… keeping common sense and courtesy in mind. Both are in very short supply these days.
I have a 20 inch LED bar light in my bumper of my 2010 F150 King ranch i live out in the country i have 40 acres of land and the closest neighbor to me is 2 miles away
I only use my bar light when i am out on my property or on the road when there is fog or no one coming at me when i do see a car on the road to turn it off (most of the time its my neighbor or someone lost) its 12 miles to town. So i do believe they have a good time to use one and a bad time not to use them. Do i believe a little shots car need a led bar light No i dont.. i top of that it looks stupid on a car. If you cant see with your head lights maybe you need better headlights..i dont see why anyone needs a 50 inch plus bar light my 20 inch is bright enough..
All of this gibberish!!! The bottom line is they are ILLEGAL and you cannot use them as the law states!!!!!!!! You people have regard,you are blinding oncoming traffic!!!!! A law has been created because people like you all that run light bars could care less if you’re blinding oncoming traffic!!!!!!
A led light bar mounted below the head lights used as aux lights/fog lights that go off either toggle switch/relay when high beams are used and are horizontal and do not exceed a beam height of 25 feet falls under the auxiliary lighting guidelines and are compliance with pa code. I’ll fight it if I get stopped for it.
People need to grow up I will use my lightbar whenever I want. if the outher people dont like it to bad
Right
Hilarious. Growing up means taking responsibility for your actions and trying to get along with the rest of society, the exact opposite of what you expressed. Plus it’s against the law, and is a safety concern. Growing up also means growing a conscience. Maybe someone will just act as childish and break your light bar then think “too bad”, is that really the kind of world you want to live in?
Lead by example, not excuses. Public roads are not the place to be defiant. Too many lives at stake!
I just bought a 2014 Nissan Altima in March 2020 and i found out (later of course) there is a class action lawsuit for these Nissan models that the stock headlights are dangerously low. I just thought it was old bulbs but it wasn’t. Now in order to solve this issue, i would have to spend minimum of $800 to replace the whole headlight assembly. No way!!! Especially it being a used vehicle and its not the vehicle purchasers problem. Its the factory’s problem. So i installed a light bar very low in the front fascia and on coming traffic has yet to bright me. That’s because its aimed low where i need it. My buddy was in front of me and told me it was aimed perfectly to not blind anyone in front of me or oncoming traffic. I guess im a responsible light bar owner lol. Police did pull me over and ticketed me for the light bar. Its sad because these new cars on the road blind me so bad with their “FACTORY LED” that I’m worse than a deer when on a 2 laned road.
You are not a “responsible light bar owner”. Light bars do not cast the correct beam shape for headlights on public roads. A responsible owner would not drive the vehicle at night until the stock headlights were fixed properly. Trading one problem for another is not a solution and even if you feel you can rationalize that it is, it is still illegal. Hint.
I just purchased a new ZR2 Chevy and had a roll bar and a 14,400 lumen lighter installed. Dealer didn’t mention them being any type of illegal to have or use. Do I need to cover them, angle them down or what? The only way to turn them on or off is by a keyfob… no switch or button on the dash.
I know someone in their late 50’s who drives a full size pickup that frequently brags about brighting people who drive too slow in front of him at night. LED headlights (aftermarket) LED light bar, LED white fog lights.
I saw a full sized pickup truck in a grocery store parking lot today that had all that plus grill mounted LED lights and 2 mounted on the top of the hood.
Think it may be people like this who brag on the cb radio about their undisputed ability to blind other drivers regardless of reason who caused this law?
I live in North Carolina and I think that a law should require that the lights be covered when on public roads with a high fine.
I also think that drivers who don’t obey that law should face criminal and civil liability for any property damage or loss of life disobedience to the law causes.
I think it is stupid to have partial laws like this. What about all the new vehicles being made from the big auto makers with “normal” LED and “laser” headlights that are TWICE as bright as they need to be????????? So that’s OK to buy a new car and blind everyone on the road so long as it’s a factory light? Absolutely stupid double-standard.
My PIAA Reflector-Facing Fog Light Bar is SAE-F Compliant and Street Legal.
Unfortunately, SAE approved does not necessarily mean that they are DOT approved and road legal. I had them and they are great but they can still ticket you.
I’ve never seen so much whining in my life.