You must obey all traffic laws and regulations of the Commonwealth. Local officers are required to enforce the law. According to recent studies, it has been shown that by simply turning on your headlights whenever you drive, you may reduce your odds of being involved in an accident. There's a chance we might be out of compliance during our annual Halloween tradition! What are the Massachusetts Lighting Laws? | Car Light Laws. Halogen lights swiftly became an industry standard — a phenomenon that has only recently been called into question. You must also turn on your headlights when traveling roads with limited visibility, such as through mountain roads, country roads, or two-lane highways.
Failure to follow the new law could result in a ticket AND and insurance surcharge. Aftermarket LED Lights. Surcharges result in increased insurance premiums at your next renewal. If you think you may have a legal claim, our experienced Wakefield pedestrian accident lawyer and Boston personal injury attorneys at John J. Sheehan's office can help you understand your legal options. High beams cannot be used in inclement weather conditions, though fog lights and low beams are encouraged. This is the most common use of your headlights during the daytime. If your wipers are on, your headlights better be too. Be sure to check your state's headlight laws below to see if this applies in your area. When Should You Use Your Headlights. In comparisons to halogen bulbs, many of today's motorists agree that xenon lights are superior by all metrics. When the law originally passed in April of 2015 the new 'Lights On, Wipers On" would not only earn you a ticket, but it was also a surcharge-able offense, meaning your insurance could go up because of it. While American law required round sealed beams during the early years of the decade, automakers in Europe favored replaceable bulb headlights. Headlights must be in use from sunset to sunrise and must be used during rain, snow, hail, sleet, and fog. Their hands and feet must be out of reach of the wheel spokes. C. At any time when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet.
Hazard lights should be used if you're traveling less than 30 mph or to indicate dangerous driving conditions. So it is worth noting that a citation for violating this statute that results in a record for a civil infraction could have financial consequences to your insureds. The Language of the Law. Massachusetts requires the use of vehicle headlights from the main. In order to understand this line of reasoning, it's important to look at the history of lighting in automobiles. The 2010s have seen further innovations on the lighting front, most specifically with the emergence of the laser light. 2) On every bus or truck 80 inches or more in overall width, in addition to the requirements in subdivision (1): a.
Contact our Boston office to begin learning more about your rights today. High beams may not be used when driving on lighted roads and when driving in fog, heavy rain, snow, sleet, or dust. The changes to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 85, Section 15 were signed into law in January, the department said. Vehicles must be equipped with low-beam as well as high-beam headlights. Hazards should only be used to alert other drivers to a disabled or parked vehicle. Daytime Running Lights are automatic, low-beam headlights that emit a dull white, yellow, or amber light. Massachusetts requires the use of vehicle headlights from home. High-beams are to be used in times of very low visibility. Reflectors and reflective material on your bike must be visible from the back and sides. Motorists are now required to turn on headlights and taillights whenever the windshield wipers are on. The law, which you can read here, requires headlight use one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset, and usage when windshield wipers are being used. To be sure you're compliant with your state's laws, check out this list of headlight laws for all 50 states. High beams should be used on rural highways.
It's Illegal to Do This in Massachusetts When It's Raining. No, blue and purple HID (high intensity discharge) or Xenon headlights usually aren't legal. Make sure that your vehicle has these fixtures in place and that they are fully functioning. Even though halogen lights have since been bested by newer headlight bulb types, the halogen light was the last to emerge in an era that favored quality over superficial aesthetic appeal. New Massachusetts Headlight Law Effective April 7, 2015 | MA Insurance Agency. Alabama Law says you must have your headlights on from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, during periods of limited visibility like when fog is present, and anytime the windshield wipers of your car are in use continually. However, studies indicate that daytime running lights reduced crashes in 2010 by 5-10%, reduced bike and pedestrian accidents by 12%, and eliminated 23% of head-on crashes in Boston. The law requires that headlights and taillights be turned on when windshield wipers are on, when low light or weather conditions prevent other vehicles or people from being seen at 500 feet, and a half-hour after sunset and a half-hour before sunrise. Of course, as history has shown, staying up to date is another story.
The former governor signed the bill into law after it passed in the Massachusetts House and Senate, but it was allegedly signed during an "informal session" without further discussion according to our Malden personal injury lawyers. "Relying on daytime running lights for these conditions is not sufficient under the law, " said the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in an email blast, " A violation of this law is considered a surchargeable minor motor vehicle traffic law violation for insurance purposes. "It's all about highway safety and vehicle visibility, " Wynn said. And, while LED headlights are becoming the standard for newer cars, headlights that are too bright may not be street legal. New Law effective today (7 April). To that end, '80s-era cars featured headlights that were fitted and placed in a manner that was complementary to current automotive design trends. Massachusetts requires the use of vehicle headlights from. These lights did not pass the NHTSA's requirement on low beam lighting—because it had an in-between where the high beams could stay on and wasn't allowed under Standard 108—but now it seems that they are willing to let this system finally come to the U. You may not use a siren or whistle on your bike to warn pedestrians. However, when it comes to the lights that work as your main forward illumination in the U. S., they must remain as fitted from the factory be it sealed beam, HID, or replaceable halogen bulbs in a housing. Headlights are required when visibility is less than 1000 feet ahead or when speed exceeds 45 mph on designated highways. Over glow and Under glow lights.
For example, the LED daytime running light craze has caused folks who are unaware that their headlights are actually turned off to drive at night lightless, because the daytime running light was so bright when they were pulling out of the garage that it tricked them into thinking they had their main low beams on. To Make Other Drivers Aware of Your Presence. "The simplicity of this will hopefully remind motorist to turn their headlights on when their wipers are on, " said John Paul, spokesman for AAA of Southern New England. If automakers were to provide the best headlight bulbs for cars, it wasn't enough to simply make lights bright and easy to operate — headlights also needed to beam at certain levels and reach specific areas. Though it's not the law in all 50 states, taking care not to momentarily blind an approaching vehicle with your high beams is common courtesy while driving.