Thread: New law: "Wipers On, Lights On"

This article is from Sacramentobee's website (www.sacbee.com). Just wanted to make sure you guys know about this. They'll probably give you a warning the first time anyways, but getting pulled over still sucks.


Headlight law in effect on gray days
By Tony Bizjak -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, November 26, 2005
Story appeared in Metro section, Page B3
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As rainy days set in, California motorists are being reminded they now must turn their headlights on during the daytime if the weather is bad.

The law, in effect since July, requires motorists to use their headlights during the day under two conditions:

* When rain, snow or fog causes them to use their windshield wipers continuously;

* When the conditions are bad enough to prevent a driver from "clearly discerning a person or another motor vehicle" 1,000 feet away.

The fine for drivers who fail to lighten up in bad weather is $96. California Highway Patrol officials say the law refers to regular headlights, not daytime running lights or parking lights.

The law - called "Wipers On, Lights On" - is a product of state Sen. Joe Simitian's annual "It Oughta Be a Law" contest, where Simitian brings "common sense" ideas from Californians to the Legislature.

Mary Lou Lyon of Cupertino, a retired high school teacher, is one of two people who proposed the daylight headlight law last year.

"Not everyone is 20 years old with 20/20 vision," she wrote to Simitian.

"If you have a gray car on a gray day, you can't be seen."

Simitian was smitten with the idea.

"It's common sense, it's cost-free, and it saves lives," he said. "It's a simple matter of public safety."

He and Lyon said that pedestrians also could use an earlier warning that a vehicle is coming from out of the mist.

CHP officials said officers have been told to pull people over for violating the new law. However, the department will allow officers to use their discretion on when to do so, rather than require them to pull over everyone who is violating the law.

"Like everything else we do, we approach this from a safety standpoint," CHP spokesman Steve Kohler said.

"If we observe someone, we have the option to stop them, and the latitude to cite them or warn them."

Originally Posted by 98spydert

It's sad that people have to be forced to turn on their headlights when visability is low.

Most new cars have their headlights on all of the time anyways. It took me a while to figure out how to turn them OFF in my Trailblazer haha

"The fine for drivers who fail to lighten up in bad weather is $96. California Highway Patrol officials say the law refers to regular headlights, not daytime running lights or parking lights."
DSMs don't have the feature of the lights turning on automatically during daytime, right? I haven't noticed it.

LOL, ok Lee. I'll put up with my old car and turn on the lights when I need them...sigh. Don't forget to do so too fellow DSMers or a cop will be eyeing you.

i usually turn mine on anyways if theres dark overcast, so no big deal.

sadly for most of us, getting pulled over for the headlight/wiper violation will be used as probable cause for underhood violations, because obviously if the driver doesnt have his headlights on with the wipers, he has illegal modifications.

yesterday while i was driving, there was a sherrif with no headlights on and it was raining, and he was talking on his cell phone at the same time. wtf is up with that.

sadly for most of us, getting pulled over for the headlight/wiper violation will be used as probable cause for underhood violations, because obviously if the driver doesnt have his headlights on with the wipers, he has illegal modifications

aren't most pull-overs for us just a reason to see what else they can get us for. :x I remember I got a ticket for not signaling a lane change on mchenry, 4am not a single car on the road I don't signal when changing lanes and got a ticket for it, I can see in traffic, but when no one else is on the road c'mon.