Use Of Fog Lamps

Q: A driver may only use fog lamps when the conditions on the roadway is such that the use of normal head lamps would be at a disadvantage.(IE:
FOG) If a driver is using fog lights on a vehicle, the headlights cannot be on. It is either one or the other. A driver may not have fog lamps illuminated when visibility is clear on the roadways. Most vehicles that have 'Fog lamps' from OEM, can only be illuminated while the low beams are on, and turn off as soon as your headlamps are turned off or you turn on your high beams. Are these vehicles an exception as they are OEM and stamped DOT SAE?

A: There seems to be some confusion about Fog Lights and Auxiliary Driving Lights. Fog lights are allowed to be used in conjunction with the low beam headlights on a vehicle in weather conditions that make the use of only headlights disadvantageous. It is not one or the other. The decision to use fog lights without the use of low beam headlights or low beam headlights and fog lights is the discretionary call of the driver of the vehicle. The only provision of using fog lights is it must be foggy and that the tail lights and parking lights along with the licence plate lamp must be illuminated.

Many newer vehicles have auxiliary driving lamps which are activated when the low beam headlamps are on. The auxiliary driving lamps will turn off when the high beam headlamps are activated or the headlights are turned off.

Fog lamps
Section 4.11 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations indicates that a motor vehicle may be equipped with 2 fog lamps, mounted on the front of the vehicle below the headlamps, that are capable of displaying only white or amber light.
(2) Each fog lamp must be
(a) mounted not more than 30 cm below the headlamps, and
(b) adjusted and aimed so that, at a distance of 8 m from the lamp, the centre of the beam is at least 10 cm below the height of the fog lamp.
(3) The fog lamp wiring and switch must permit simultaneous operation of the parking lamps, tail lamps, licence plate lamp and, if required, clearance lamps.
(4) The operator of a vehicle may use fog lamps instead of headlamps when atmospheric conditions make the use of headlamps disadvantageous.

Auxiliary driving lamps
Section 4.09 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations indicates that a motor vehicle may be equipped with 2 auxiliary driving lamps, mounted on the front of the vehicle at a height of not less than 40 cm and not more than 1.06 m, that are capable of displaying only white light.
(2) An auxiliary driving lamp must be directed so that the high intensity portion of the beam is, at a distance of 8 m from the lamp, at least 12 cm below the height of the lamp and, at a distance of 25 m from the lamp, not higher than 1.06 m from the road surface.
(3) An auxiliary driving lamp must operate so that it is illuminated only when the upper beam of a multiple beam headlamp is illuminated.

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

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