Car light heights?

Question

x-years ago it was illegal to have white lights showing to the front and below the bumper unless in "inclement" weather.. can anyone say if this is still true..

Answer 1

fog lights should always be used lower then headlights. they should not be extremely bright either.

Answer 2

I don't know if it's still true or not. But since the auto manufacturers have incorporated these "driving lights" into the bumpers, the point is kind of moot. What bothers me is that they hardly ever seem to be adjusted correctly. It's bad enough that I have a nickname for them I shouldn't repeat here.

Answer 3

It is lights brighter than I think 10 watts, you can have sidelights low down but any lights such as fog lights with a centreline lower than 2 ft above the ground can only be used in fog and falling snow, you can be safe or legal but not both.
Plenty of cars have spot lights which are useless in fog mounted low which can only be used in mainland Europe.

Answer 4

I don't know what State you are from but in most states as long as the lights come on only with the dim lights it is legal but if they come on with the brights you could find yourself with a fix it ticket or a fine.Check with your State DMV to make sure that you are not in one of the few States that has not legalized them yet.

Answer 5

in oklahoma i got a ticket for driving with my fog lights on and for driving without shoes in my jeep

Answer 6

PART I

REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OBLIGATORY FRONT POSITION LAMPS AND TO OPTIONAL FRONT POSITION LAMPS TO THE EXTENT SPECIFIED IN PART II

1. Number-
(a) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (b), (c), (d), (e) or (f):

Two

(b) A pedal cycle with less than four wheels and without a sidecar:
One

(c) A solo motor bicycle:
One

(d) A motor bicycle combination with a headlamp on the motor bicycle:
One, on the sidecar

(e) An invalid carriage:
One

(f) A vehicle drawn or propelled by hand:
One

2. Position-
(a) Longitudinal:

No requirement

(b) Lateral-

(i) Where two front position lamps are required to be fitted-

(A) Maximum distance from the side of the vehicle-
(1) A motor vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1986:

400 mm

(2) A trailer manufactured on or after 1st October 1985:

150 mm

(3) Any other vehicle manufactured on or after 1st October 1985:

400 mm

(4) A motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986 and any other vehicle manufactured before 1st October 1985:

510 mm

(B) Minimum separation distance between front position lamps:

No requirement

(ii) Where one front position lamp is required to be fitted-

(A) A sidecar forming part of a motor bicycle combination:

On the centre-line of the sidecar or on the side of the sidecar furthest from the motor bicycle

(B) Any other vehicle:

On the centre-line or off-side of the vehicle

(c) Vertical-

(i) Maximum height above the ground-

(A) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (B), (C) or (D):

1500 mm or, if the structure of the vehicle makes this impracticable, 2100 mm

(B) A motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986 and a trailer manufactured before 1st October 1985:

2300 mm

(C) A motor vehicle, first used on or after 1st April 1986, having a maximum speed not exceeding 25 mph:

2100 mm

(D) A large passenger-carrying vehicle and a road clearance vehicle:

No requirement

(ii) Minimum height above the ground

No requirement

3. Angles of visibility-
(a) A motor vehicle (not being a motor bicycle combination or an agricultural vehicle) first used on or after 1st April 1986 and a trailer manufactured on or after 1st October 1985-

(i) Horizontal-

(A) Where one lamp is required to be fitted:

80° to the left and to the right

(B) Where two lamps are required to be fitted:

80° outwards and 45° inwards (5° inwards in the case of a trailer)

(ii) Vertical-

(A) Any case not covered by sub-paragraph (B):

15° above and below the horizontal

(B) Where the highest part of the illuminated area of the lamp is less than 750 mm above the ground:

15° above and 5° below the horizontal

(b) Any other vehicle:
Visible to the front

4. Alignment:

To the front

5. Markings-
(a) A motor vehicle (other than a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination) first used on or after 1st January 1972 and a trailer manufactured on or after 1st October 1985:

An approval mark

(b) A solo motor bicycle and a motor bicycle combination in either case first used on or after 1st April 1986:
An approval mark

(c) Any other vehicle manufactured or first used on or after 1st October 1990:
An approval mark or a British Standard mark

(d) Any other vehicle:
No requirement

6. Size of illuminated area:

No requirement

7. Colour:

White or, if incorporated in a headlamp which is capable of emitting only a yellow light, yellow

8. Wattage:

No requirement

9. Intensity-
(a) A front position lamp bearing any of the markings mentioned in paragraph 5:

No requirement

(b) Any other front position lamp:
Visible from a reasonable distance

10. Electrical connections:

No individual requirement

11. Tell-tale:

No requirement

12. Other requirements-

(a) Except in the case of a vehicle covered by sub-paragraph (b), where two front position lamps are required to be fitted they shall form a pair.

(b) In the case of a trailer manufactured before 1st October 1985 and a motor bicycle combination, where two front position lamps are required to be fitted they shall be fitted on each side of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

13. Definitions-
In this Schedule-
"approval mark" means-

(a) in relation to a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination, a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 50A of Schedule 2 to those Regulations, and
(b) in relation to any other motor vehicle or any trailer, either-

(i) a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 5 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 5 of Schedule 4 to those Regulations, or
(ii) a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 7 of Schedule 2 to those Regulations;
"British Standard mark" means the mark indicated in the specification for photometric and physical requirements for lighting equipment published by the British Standards Institution under the reference BS 6102: Part 3: 1986, namely "BS 6102/3".


PART II

REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OPTIONAL FRONT POSITION LAMPS

1. In the case of a solo motor bicycle first used on or after 1st April 1991 which is not fitted with any obligatory front position lamp, not more than two may be fitted which must comply with the requirement specified in paragraph 7 of Part I. Where two are fitted these shall be situated as close together as possible.

2. In the case of a solo motor bicycle first used on or after 1st April 1991 which is fitted with one obligatory front position lamp, not more than one additional lamp may be fitted which must comply with the requirement specified in paragraph 7 of Part I and shall be situated as close as possible to the obligatory front position lamp.

3. In the case of any other vehicle the only requirement prescribed by these Regulations in respect of any which are fitted is that in paragraph 7 of Part I.

(Regulation 20)

requirements relating to optional front fog lamps



1. Number-
(a) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (b):

No requirement

(b) A motor vehicle, other than a motor bicycle or motor bicycle combination, first used on or after 1st April 1991:
Not more than two

2. Position-
(a) Longitudinal:

No requirement

(b) Lateral-

(i) Where a pair of front fog lamps is used in conditions of seriously reduced visibility in place of the obligatory dipped beam headlamps-

Maximum distance from side of vehicle:
400 mm

(ii) in all other cases:
No requirement

(c) Vertical-

(i) Maximum height above the ground-

(A) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (B):
1200 mm

(B) An agricultural vehicle, a road clearance vehicle, an aerodrome fire tender, an aerodrome runway sweeper, an industrial tractor, engineering plant and a home forces' vehicle:
No requirement

(ii) Minimum height above the ground:
No requirement

3. Angles of visibility:
No requirement

4. Alignment:
To the front and so aimed that the upper edge of the beam is, as near as practicable, 3 per cent below the horizontal when the vehicle is at its kerbside weight and has a weight of 75 kg on the driver's seat

5. Markings-
(a) A vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1986:

An approval mark

(b) A vehicle first used before 1st April 1986:
No requirement

6. Size of illuminated area:
No requirement

7. Colour:
White or yellow

8. Wattage:
No requirement

9. Intensity:
No requirement

10. Electrical connections:
No individual requirement

11. Tell-tale:
No requirement

12. Other requirements-
Every front fog lamp shall be so constructed that the direction of the beam of light emitted therefrom can be adjusted whilst the vehicle is stationary.

13. Definitions-
In this Schedule "appproval mark" means either-
(a) a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 5 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 19 of Schedule 4 to those Regulations; or

(b) a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 19 or 19A of Schedule 2 of those Regulations.