Being blinded by an oncoming car’s absurdly bright headlights has become an unfortunately common experience while driving in Los Angeles. Some may wonder if there are any restrictions on just how bright headlights can be. There are, in fact, restrictions both on aftermarket headlight brightness and headlight usage. Improper use of high beams, noncompliant turn signals, and other illegal light usage can cause serious accidents. Headlights have the potential to limit driver visibility which is essential to driver safety. Indicator lights are the only means drivers have, besides horns, to communicate with other drivers. Modern trends have given rise to increasingly creative turn and brake lights which have been especially popular in sports cars – these still must comply with government regulations. Properly functioning lights are one of the keys to driver safety and our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers have seen firsthand how much a driver’s life can be devastated by a serious injury.
Complying with safety regulations surrounding light usage on your vehicle is also important for limiting your liability in any car crash. If your car is found to be noncompliant or if you were using your headlights improperly, that may affect the financial compensation you can recover. Our team of Los Angeles personal injury attorneys knows that when you’re in a serious car crash, your financial needs are likely to be extreme. We are dedicated to the work we do for our clients – contact us today to speak with a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer.
What are California headlight laws?
Both for protecting your liability and, more importantly, your safety, following California vehicle light codes is essential. These codes include:
- Reverse Lights Must be White. It is essential that reversing be clearly communicated by standardized white lights.
- Rear Lights May Be Yellow/Amber, White, and Red. This straightforward code means that any green or purple turn signal violates road laws.
- Headlight Lumens May Not Exceed 2,600. This upward limit allows for extremely bright headlights to be on the roads, but certain aftermarket adjustments may violate this restriction.
- No Headlights Above 54 Inches. This restriction is meant to avoid blinding oncoming drivers.
- Headlights On 30 Minutes After Sunset and Before Sunrise. Simply put, if the sun is down, your headlights must be on.
- High-beams Only When No One Is Around. You may not use your high-beams within 300 feet of a driver you are behind or 500 feet of an oncoming driver facing you.
These laws may seem overly technical, but the importance of a common set of standards for vehicle light usage cannot be overstated. Thanks to these restrictions, drivers can know what it looks like when a car is slowing to a stop regardless of that car’s make or model. If the red lights are on, the car is stopping. Perhaps more importantly, these restrictions protect drivers from the dangers of excessively bright headlights that impact driver safety.
How can headlight brightness affect a personal injury case?
If the driver that caused your injury from a car crash was misusing their headlights or had non-compliant aftermarket headlights, this can play a significant factor in determining liability and securing you the compensation you deserve. Headlight misuse is an ever-more-common hazard on our roads – those whose overly bright headlights lead to serious injury for other drivers should be held accountable. Our team of Los Angeles personal injury attorneys understands how serious a car crash can be. Apart from the trauma and suffering that arises from any serious injury, a case like yours can lead to unmanageable financial strain.
At Arias Sanguinetti, we are proud to help our deserving clients who have been injured in car crashes. Our team of Los Angeles personal injury attorneys brings over 300 years of experience to the work that we do for our clients. We have seen firsthand the life-changing impact the financial compensation can have. If you have been injured in an accident, contact us today.
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