Head Lights Out

Q: I understood in all my years of driving to make sure all lights were in working condition. Has this changed, as now I see so many vehicles with only one head light, old or new. Do you no longer pull anyone over with only one head light and give them a 7 day grace to have it fixed or whatever? I have only been stopped once for this infraction and I really didn't know it was out but I still got right on it and fixed the light.

A: Your understanding of all the proper lights functioning on a vehicle is correct. Most times when a police officer pulls over a vehicle with a light which is not functioning, a Notice & Order will be issued giving the operator of the vehicle a certain period of time to report to the local police office to show that the light is now functioning. The Notice & Order indicates that the defect must be "Promptly Repaired". There are fines for vehicle lights which are not functioning and for having illegal lights on a vehicle.

Hours prescribed for lighted lamps
Section 4.01 of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations indicates that a person who drives or operates a vehicle on a highway must illuminate the lamps required by this Division
(a) from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, and
(b) at any other time when, due to insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions, objects on the highway are not clearly discernible at a distance of 150 m.

General lighting requirements
Section 4.02 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations 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.

General maintenance
Section 4.04 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations indicates that lighting devices required by this Division must be maintained in good working order.
(2) Lamps and reflectors required by this Division
(a) must be securely mounted on the vehicle,
(b) must not have any cracked, broken, missing or incorrectly installed lenses, and a lamp must not have bent or broken rims that allow water to enter the lamp, and
(c) must not be shielded, covered or obscured by any part of the vehicle or load or by dirt or other material.

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

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.