Colored Light Strips

Q: I have seen many cars with a colored light strip that runs the bottom of the door edge. They glow like neon. Different colors can be bought, blue, red, purple I know. My teenage son told me they are illegal. Why are they illegal? I think they make a car more visible in the dark.
With all the neon lights out there already on signage, it seems minimal.

A: Neon lights on the underside of a vehicle or anywhere on a vehicle are illegal. If you need more information on the lighting requirements for a vehicle, visit Motor Vehicle Act Regulations on the internet.

General lighting requirements
Section 4.02 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Act indicates that a vehicle on a highway must only be equipped with and use lamps, reflectors or other illuminating devices authorized by this Division or authorized in writing by the director.
(2) A vehicle on a highway must be equipped with lamps equivalent to those provided by the original manufacturer in accordance with the requirements that applied under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada), or a predecessor to that Act, at the time of vehicle manufacture.
(3) All lamps, lamp bulbs and reflectors required or permitted by this Division must comply with
(a) the approved standards established by the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada) and the applicable SAE standards,
(b) the conditions of use described in this Division, and
(c) the requirements of Table 1 of the Schedule to this Division.
(4) The function of 2 or more lamps or reflectors may be combined if each function meets the following requirements:
(a) no turn signal lamp may be combined optically with a stop lamp unless the stop lamp is extinguished when the turn signal is flashing
(b) a clearance lamp must not be combined optically with a tail-lamp or identification lamp.
(5)The director may exempt vehicles or classes of vehicles from the requirements of this section

Constable R.A.(Richard) ASELTON
Central Okanagan Traffic Services - Media Liaison
Kelowna R.C.M.P. Detachment

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