smoked out lights laws?

[mustangflanagan]

I was wondering what the general laws are for lights that have been smoked out? I plan on murdering out the car headlights, tailights fogs, turn sign lenses. If anyone knows anything on these laws for texas and new Jersey, i cant find any def answers. Aslo will they pass inspection?

 

[Wicked GT]

I can't speak to specifics on the laws but if it were mine I would certainly wait until after it has been through inspection.

 

[mustangflanagan]

yea i am trying to find smoke tailights headlights and fogs, but every site i check doesnt say wheather they are DOT legal or not.

 

[Robstang]

I"m not sure about all the state laws, but I got pulled over for my smoked License plate cover a couple of weeks ago in the Republic of Washington State.

 

[HellsBells]

New Jersey Statutes (I bolded and underlined the relevant parts for you):

39:3-47 Illuminating devices required; violations, fines.

39:3-47. No person shall drive, move, park or be in custody of any vehicle or combination of vehicles on any street or highway unless such vehicle or combination of vehicles is equipped with lamps and illuminating devices as hereinafter in this article respectively required for different classes of vehicles.

a.

No person shall drive, move, park or be in custody of any vehicle or combination of vehicles on any street or highway during the times when lighted lamps are required unless such vehicle or combination of vehicles displays lighted lamps and illuminating devices as hereinafter in this article required. Failure to use lighted lamps when lighted lamps are required may result in a fine not to exceed $50.00. In no case shall motor vehicle points or automobile insurance eligibility points pursuant to section 26 of P.L.1990, c.8 (C:17:33B-14) be assessed against any person for a violation of this subsection. A person who is fined under this subsection for a violation of this subsection shall not be subject to a surcharge under the New Jersey Merit Rating Plan as provided in section 6 of P.L.1983, c.65 (C:17:29A-35).

b.

No person shall use on any vehicle any approved electric lamp or similar device unless the light source of such lamp or device complies with the conditions of approval as to focus and rated candlepower.

c.

No person shall alter the equipment or performance of equipment of any vehicle which has been approved at an official inspection station designated by the commission with intent to defeat the purpose of such inspection, and no person shall drive or use any vehicle with equipment so altered.

Amended 1995, c.305, s.2; 2003, c.13, s.44.

39:3-48. Visibility
(a) Whenever there shall be in this article a requirement declared as to the distance from which certain lamps and devices shall render objects visible or within which such lamps or devices shall be visible, said provisions shall apply during the times when lighted lamps are required upon a straight level unlighted highway under normal atmospheric conditions unless a different time or condition is expressly stated.

(b) The light from every required exterior lamp on a vehicle shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet in the directions set forth therefor in paragraph (d) of this section except that the light illuminating a license plate shall cause the license plate to be clearly legible from a distance of 50 feet to the rear. Such visibility is not required when the light is obscured by another vehicle in a combination of vehicles.

(c) Every required Class A reflector shall be visible from all distances between 100 and 600 feet, and every required Class B reflector shall be visible from all distances between 100 and 350 feet, when illuminated by the upper beam of headlamps.

(d) Light from every headlamp , other driving lamp, clearance lamp, identification lamp and single-faced turn signal mounted on or at the front of a vehicle, and front parking light, shall be visible to the front; that from every side-marker lamp and side reflector shall be visible to the side; that from every stop lamp, tail lamp, clearance lamp, identification lamp, back-up lamp and reflector mounted on the rear, from every turn signal mounted on the rear of a vehicle or the cab of a truck tractor, and from any rear parking lamp, shall be visible to the rear; that from any double-faced turn signal shall be visible to the front and to the rear at the side on which such lamp is mounted; and that from any projecting load marker lamp or combination marker lamp shall be visible from the direction stated in the provision requiring it.


In short: not legal. It's not legal in any state as far as I know.

 

[mustangflanagan]

From what i gathered from that was that the lighting must be visible within those specified distances, i believe smoked lights would be within the ranges but blacked out lighting prob will not be.

 

[mulestang]

My neighbor is a law enforcement officer. Really cool guy, and he doesn't go out of his way to ticket people dark tint, loud exhaust, etc. He likes my stang, and we shoot the breeze about it quite a bit. I had considered the same for my car, and he thought it would make the car look mean. However, he did say this to me: Smoked and/or blacked lighting is sexy...until you're in an accident at night. Then, all bets are off. YMMV

 

[HellsBells]

From what i gathered from that was that the lighting must be visible within those specified distances, i believe smoked lights would be within the ranges but blacked out lighting prob will not be.

It's not legal. Neither are smoked lights.

 

[maco7173]

I am a Police officer here in Topeka, Kansas with over 18 years of experience. In Kansas they are illegal but here in Topeka, they are rarely inforced. Your issues would also be on the agency and or officer who pulls you over. I have never in my career given any tickets to someone for their smoked tail lights, I think they look rather cool myself.

 

[69Mach1-409]

They're illegal, period.. the only ones that you can 'get away with' are the fogs. The rest depends on how much of a ball buster the cop wants to be.

Having said that.. I tinted the tails, 3rd brake light, and rear side markers almost 4yrs & 27k miles ago. I used roughly 3 coats of VHT Night Shades and then cleared.. they look OEM to me.

I was only pulled over once by a Delaware Port Authority cop (bridge cop) and fed some BS about them.. long - short he saw me & my cousin's 07GT side by side at the tolls and thought we were going to do something stupid.. After we did nothing, he'd already commited to pulling me over so he had to create some BS to justify his loss of donut time.. ..wrote NOTHING on the warning he gave me either..

 

[mac10chap]

I've had cops come up to me to ask me about my car (just to bullshit) and never said anything about my blacked out lights. Headlights, tail lights, fogs, and turn signals are all done.

 

[Black_GT]

As far as I know they're illegal in Cali and 99% sure they're illegal nationwide. Might as well tint your front winshield while you're at it lol!

 

[mustangflanagan]

the thing is i have seen smoked headlights that are DOT approved and 50 state legal hmm well at least the smoked halos

 

[Sky Render]

the thing is i have seen smoked headlights that are DOT approved and 50 state legal hmm well at least the smoked halos

Were they actually legal or did they simply copy the DOT code from the original lights?

 

[69Mach1-409]

..or did they just 'tint' the DOT legal lights?

 

[mustangflanagan]

thats a very good question idk i just seen what they said

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

Illegal THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mac10chap]

^same I have done to my car...add the fog lights though.

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

^same I have done to my car...add the fog lights though.

That's next. LOL!!!

 

[Black_GT]

..or did they just 'tint' the DOT legal lights?

Exactly. They're just taking some legal and making it illegal

Illegal THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am wondering if the fogs can be used in place of the driving headlights?