Headlamps required in PA during rain conditions.

[Auto-Union]

NEW LAW REQUIRES MOTORISTS TO TURN ON HEADLIGHTS WHEN USING WIPERS
HARRISBURG - The Department of Transportation announced that a new law, which goes into effect in January, will require motorists to turn on their headlights anytime their vehicles wipers are in continuous or intermittent use due to weather or other atmospheric conditions such as fog or mist.

Motorists who do not comply with the law could face a fine of $25, but with fees and other associated costs, the penalty would approach $100.

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Finally. Hopefully they will publicize it so people will actually develop this basic skill. I see cars in dark pouring rain/fog, w/80% of other cars having on their lights. Too difficult a task for some motorists to even notice all the OTHER cars have turned on their lights. Sheez.

 

[wander2039]

Missouri has the same law. My boss got a ticket because of it.

 

[Sparkman]

They've had that law for years in NY. A vastly disproportionate percentage of the time if I see someone in the rain without their lights on it's a state trooper.

Of course we all know that laws are for the commoners.

In general it seems as though about 20% of the driving public is devoid of the ability to make prudent headlight operating decisions. I think that either headlights should be permanently on when the car is running or the law should be enforced. The law won't be enforced (at least in NY, where it seems as though little is done other than speed enforcement), so I think they should be always on from the factory. I would actually prefer enforcement, or even better yet some reasonable driving standards where the twentieth percentile of driver wasn't so clueless and dangerous.

 

[Bob Woods]

Wipers on lights on, whats so hard about that?

 

[alreadygone]

Been a law in Arkansas since the Bill Clinton days. Thought it probably was nation wide by now. Seems like most new vehicles have constant on lights now. Course Chev PU's allways seem to have one of them burnt out at any given time.

Bob

 

[Auto-Union]

Mom's 1996 Passat is always-on at 85% brightness. Turning the switch yields another 15% to full brightness. I'm afraid if she gets a new car, w/o that feature, she might not now remember to do it. On newer cars, country codes can be changed in the ECU setup to a country that mandates that feature....like Canada or Finland. It seems like GMs front parking/city lights come on automatically w/ the wipers. That's front-only though. Like I said, publicity is key...like in NJ, where they publicize the law.

 

[moribundman]

I wish somebody would publicize the importance of using directional signals and of keeping keeping a safe distance to the vehicle ahead instead of the implementation of gadgets that aim at augmentating mindless drivers' lack of common sense.

 

[97f150]

That has been a law in Louisiana for quiet some time, also been a habit of mine since I started driving.

 

[Gary Allan]

Heck, I see enough cars driving in downtown situations at night ..no rain ..no wipers ..no lights. I can't expect much from our motoring masses

 

[oilyriser]

So if its foggy, and you're not using your wipers it's ok to leave the lights off??

 

[Shannow]

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I wish somebody would publicize the importance of using directional signals and of keeping keeping a safe distance to the vehicle ahead instead of the implementation of gadgets that aim at augmentating mindless drivers' lack of common sense.

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mori, I thought that turn signals (blinkers down here) were optional extras and you could elect not to have them installed at the factory.

 

[brianl703]

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Seems like most new vehicles have constant on lights now. Course Chev PU's allways seem to have one of them burnt out at any given time.

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I'm seeing lots of vehicles with burned out foglights and headlights. All types of makes and models, it doesn't matter..from Hondas to GMs to Audis. Every once in a while I'll see a vehicle with nothing working except a couple of parking lights.

 

[moribundman]

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mori, I thought that turn signals (blinkers down here) were optional extras and you could elect not to have them installed at the factory.

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Usually I call them blinkers, too. Some people don't know what those are. Is it a semantic issue or are they just unfamiliar with directional signals? Empiric evidence suggest the latter.

Then there are the blinker abusers. They are in a left lane and blink, indicating their intent to turn left. But right before they make their turn, which isn't a given, they usually swerve 3 feet into the lane to the right before blocking both lanes by suddenly stopping.

 

[alreadygone]

Maybe my observation is because there are LOTS of Chev PUs here!

Bob

 

[JHZR2]

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I wish somebody would publicize the importance of using directional signals and of keeping keeping a safe distance to the vehicle ahead instead of the implementation of gadgets that aim at augmentating mindless drivers' lack of common sense.

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very true.. though in other thrreads some claim that people who state that US driver skill is not up to par are foolish idiots.

I hate to think of how many good-weather collisions Ie seen due to lack of signal use, etc. I wonder why...

That said, isnt there a whole lot of data that claims that headlights on (rain or not) increases visibility and thus reduces at least some sorts of collisions?

JMH

 

[MarkC]

I like it when people trun on their turn signal at the exact moment they bgin to turn or chagne lanes, rather than several seconds before.

 

[CivicFan]

When I first drove through NY, I found the text of the road sign funny. It said 'headlights on when using wipers'. That, of course, means that when I am cleaning my windshield, I have to turn on my headlights while doing so. The law could have been formulated better if it said 'use headlights in poor visibility' but then there may be different perceptions as to what 'poor visibility' is.

 

[Kestas]

With Rain-X on my windshield, I can often drive in the rain without using my wipers! Does that mean I don't have to use my lights? (I know... I'm just being a wise-#@$%!)

 

[Cutehumor]

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I like it when people trun on their turn signal at the exact moment they bgin to turn or chagne lanes, rather than several seconds before.

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It's better than not having them signal at all

 

[sxg6]

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Wipers on lights on, whats so hard about that?

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I agree

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With Rain-X on my windshield, I can often drive in the rain without using my wipers! Does that mean I don't have to use my lights? (I know... I'm just being a wise-#@$%!)

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Same here, except liquid glass