Is It Legal to Have Christmas Lights on Your Car in Texas
“I feel like the answer is `no` because it would be too distracting or there would be too many lights of different colors to cause a security problem, but I don`t know what the state statutes would say about that.” I saw mixed opinions when I googled this question. I would just like to contact your local to be sure. For other states, it looks fine as long as they are not in your field of vision, red at the front of the vehicle, etc. But the local police will arrest you unless you leave town, so I`d ask them 🙂 I think you can probably do it legally, but that doesn`t mean the cops won`t arrest you because of it. If you do, make sure you have all your in check. Join Officer Antoine for Ask A Cop Live, on KSAP 96.9 FM, radio station “The Breeze”, every Tuesday from 1pm to 2am. Listen to Officer Antoine talk at length about the recently published Ask A Cop article in The News. You can also connect to the Internet at www.ksapthebreeze.org. Do not hesitate to call and ask your question live to Agent Antoine at (409) 982-0247. Julie Brooks of the Arapahoe County Sheriff`s Office tells me that when it comes to Christmas lights on or in cars, the safety of all other drivers is of paramount importance, “if you have anything on or in your vehicle that can be considered disturbing or can be misinterpreted as turn signals, brake lights or emergency lights, that would be a concern for us.” The neon lights of a car should not be aligned in such a way that a very intense portion of the light hits the road “at a distance of more than 75 feet” from the vehicle on which they are mounted. The half-dozen subway law enforcement agencies I contacted told me that hanging Christmas lights was technically illegal. But they added that driving cars with Christmas lights is not a priority for them.
And that would be Grinch`s interpretation. I remember there was a driver in El Paso, a rabbi, I think, who tied a large illuminated menorah to the roof of his vehicle every Hanukkah season. And last week, I swear I saw a truck of road aid deceived with Christmas lights. While there is no specific law that covers Christmas or holiday lights, there are several laws that restrict the types and types of lights that can be outside or inside a vehicle. Each color is illegal for a different reason. In a previous article, I outlined the specific laws regarding the lights you can and can`t have on your vehicle. It is permissible to place neon lights around a license plate as long as it does not obstruct the view of the license plate or license plate number. All other rules apply. MVD offices in the state offer the free express line to older drivers. I took my mom to the Montgomery Plaza office (next to the Dollar Movie Theater) as well as the Rio Rancho community office on Sabana Grande for the annual renewal and watched them edit their photo, eye test, and form tray in minutes. While you may think your personal parade of lights looks great when you`re driving on the highway, the Colorado State Patrol claims those extra lights are illegal. “We`re not Scrooge, we just want people to be safe,” said CSP Private Josh Lewis.
Carol de Port Neches asks: I like this column, Officer Antoine. Surely you missed the time you were away, because this column has certainly taught this girl a thing or two! Officer Antoine, my husband has an old Ford truck and he has to be at work at 6 a.m., so he usually warms it up before he goes to work on cold mornings. I have a new car with automatic start. I think I read in a previous column from you that it is acceptable to let a car warm up if it is started remotely. Am I right about remote start and non-remote start in vehicles that are warming up? Can they install remote start on older vehicles? In previous articles, APD and the city have said tow truck drivers are responsible for sweeping up debris from the crash. But of course, not all wrecks require towing. BEAUFORT, South Carolina (KTRK) — Many people use lights to decorate their homes, trees and lawns during the holidays. Answer: Good question, calm down! Sorry, but it`s funny to me.
I certainly agree with you that the joy of this season is definitely in the air. Christmas trees will be started and decorations will soon be visible outside. Back Quiet, I don`t see any violation in putting Christmas lights on your car until you turn them on while driving on Texas roads. You can display your Christmas lights on your car in your garden or in a private parking lot, but not on the streets. I hope this information won`t dampen your holiday spirit, but your car`s Christmas lights are not state-approved lighting. Brooks says, “If traffic lights distract other vehicles like that, we`ll do something.” It`s fine to be patriotic, but no red, white or blue neon is allowed, with flashing, rotating or strobe effects. These colors are limited to firefighters, police and rescue workers. STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT, DECORATE YOUR CAR TONIGHT: Robert asks in an email: “Is it legal on the street if you wanted to decorate your car with Christmas lights for the holiday season? Texas law allows neon lights inside and outside vehicles, as long as the light does not exceed 300 candles. Three hundred candles in a square foot produce the luminescence of 300 lumens, the luminous equivalent of a 4.3-watt bulb. Legally, it might be worth applying it, as a good candle/light exposure indicator is needed to actually measure the amount of light emitted.
Few police cars are equipped with such a light meter, but it is not recommended to test certain light restrictions in court. In addition, it should be noted that failure to comply with state laws will result in criminal prosecution, not just violation of motor vehicles. This is the season to decorate your home with colorful lights. Some people want to extend this festive feeling to their vehicle and decorate the roof of their car with similar colored lights. Some lights are battery operated, while others can be powered by the vehicle`s auxiliary power supply. There are many tutorials on the internet with step-by-step instructions and tips. Don`t forget to email your questions to [email protected], or call 409-983-8673 and leave a message or voice question or send it to: OFC. Rickey Antoine, 645 Fourth Street, Port Arthur, Texas, 77640.
If you see me in public, you can ask a police officer. Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Tanner Tixier said attaching a series of Christmas lights to your vehicle “is not illegal. As long as they don`t have flashing red and blue lights pointing forward — simulating an emergency vehicle — there`s nothing illegal about putting lights on your car. Back Quiet from Port Arthur asks: Officer Antoine, it`s time again to celebrate the holiday season we are all looking forward to with our family and friends. I was just wondering if I could come in the Christmas season and put Christmas lights on my car. And I`m calm again! Texas laws also explicitly allow light lights on motorcycles, but only non-flashing white and yellow lights are allowed.