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01-23-11, 09:21 AM
I recently installed some L.E.D lighting to the bottom of my vehicle. I live in Arlington, TX and I have read the law as follows:
"(a) A motor vehicle lamp or illuminating device, other than a headlamp,
spotlamp, auxiliary lamp, turn signal lamp, or emergency vehicle or school bus warning lamp, that projects a beam with an intensity brighter than 300 candlepower shall be directed so that no part of the high-intensity portion of the beam strikes the roadway at a distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.
(b) Except as expressly authorized by law, a person may not operate or move equipment or a vehicle, other than a police vehicle,
with a lamp or device that displays a red light visible from directly in front of the center of the equipment or vehicle.
(c) A person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating light unless
the equipment is:
(1) used as specifically authorized by this chapter;
or
(2) a running lamp, headlamp, tail lamp, backup lamp, or turn signal lamp that is used as authorized by law.
(d) A vehicle may be equipped with alternately flashing lighting equipment described by Section 547.701 or 547.702 only if
the vehicle is:
(1) a school bus;
(2) an authorized emergency vehicle;
(3) a church bus that has the words "church bus" printed on the front and rear of the bus so as to be clearly
discernable to other vehicle operators;
(4) a tow truck while under the direction of a law enforcement officer at the scene of an accident or while hooking up
to a disabled vehicle on a roadway; or
(5) a tow truck with a mounted light bar which has turn signals and stop lamps in addition to those required by Sections
547.322, 547.323, and 547.324, Transportation Code.
(e) A person may not operate highway maintenance or service equipment, including snow-removal equipment, that is not equipped with lamps or that does not display lighted lamps as required by the standards and specifications adopted by the Texas Department of Transportation.
(f) In this section "tow truck" means a motor vehicle or mechanical device that is adapted or used to tow, winch, or move a
disabled vehicle.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended
by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 380, § 1, eff. July 1, 1999."
So the law is no red, blue, or white flashing or alternating and the light should be within 75 ft. from the vehicle. (To be safe i do not use red, blue or yellow and I do not have the lights flashing in anyway.) So any other color should be fine. The lights are under the vehicle not visible and only emit a light less than 2 ft. from the vehicle. Well within the limit. I recently got pulled over while driving with a steady green glow and the officer said I cannot have them on while driving. I told him i am within the law, he agreed and did not issue me with a ticket but told me I could receive a ticket. My question is, could I really get a ticket for driving with these lights on since there is nothing against it in the law? The law is black and white so I feel I haven't done anything wrong.
"(a) A motor vehicle lamp or illuminating device, other than a headlamp,
spotlamp, auxiliary lamp, turn signal lamp, or emergency vehicle or school bus warning lamp, that projects a beam with an intensity brighter than 300 candlepower shall be directed so that no part of the high-intensity portion of the beam strikes the roadway at a distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.
(b) Except as expressly authorized by law, a person may not operate or move equipment or a vehicle, other than a police vehicle,
with a lamp or device that displays a red light visible from directly in front of the center of the equipment or vehicle.
(c) A person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating light unless
the equipment is:
(1) used as specifically authorized by this chapter;
or
(2) a running lamp, headlamp, tail lamp, backup lamp, or turn signal lamp that is used as authorized by law.
(d) A vehicle may be equipped with alternately flashing lighting equipment described by Section 547.701 or 547.702 only if
the vehicle is:
(1) a school bus;
(2) an authorized emergency vehicle;
(3) a church bus that has the words "church bus" printed on the front and rear of the bus so as to be clearly
discernable to other vehicle operators;
(4) a tow truck while under the direction of a law enforcement officer at the scene of an accident or while hooking up
to a disabled vehicle on a roadway; or
(5) a tow truck with a mounted light bar which has turn signals and stop lamps in addition to those required by Sections
547.322, 547.323, and 547.324, Transportation Code.
(e) A person may not operate highway maintenance or service equipment, including snow-removal equipment, that is not equipped with lamps or that does not display lighted lamps as required by the standards and specifications adopted by the Texas Department of Transportation.
(f) In this section "tow truck" means a motor vehicle or mechanical device that is adapted or used to tow, winch, or move a
disabled vehicle.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended
by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 380, § 1, eff. July 1, 1999."
So the law is no red, blue, or white flashing or alternating and the light should be within 75 ft. from the vehicle. (To be safe i do not use red, blue or yellow and I do not have the lights flashing in anyway.) So any other color should be fine. The lights are under the vehicle not visible and only emit a light less than 2 ft. from the vehicle. Well within the limit. I recently got pulled over while driving with a steady green glow and the officer said I cannot have them on while driving. I told him i am within the law, he agreed and did not issue me with a ticket but told me I could receive a ticket. My question is, could I really get a ticket for driving with these lights on since there is nothing against it in the law? The law is black and white so I feel I haven't done anything wrong.