Regulations for Front Fog Lights
Aboriginal the commendable counsel. Provided you impel an SUV, pickup Motor lorry or any other type vehicle on which fog lights are preinstalled or you've added them on yourself, there is no federal act prohibiting their placement on the vehicle. Moment, there isn't any pathetic dope. It's also no advice at all, indeed.There really isn't much of a moral to the story, except that it is wise to familiarize yourself with the laws in your state and municipality. For instance, some states allow radar detectors and some states will cite drivers found using them.
From sublime to ridiculous
Driving in South Tahoe in 1995, a California Highway Vigil officer cited him for not having covers on his off-road lights. He had a hearing before the limited Justice of the Peace and testified that the fog lights were not "off-road" lights on the contrary were, really, "auxiliary" or fog lights as permitted by California Engine Vehicle Statute #24402 and hence didn't demand covers. The law states: "Any Engine vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a heighth of not less than 16 inches nor another than 42 inches." In spite of the lights falling within those parameters, Russell was endow guilty. The officer argued that the lights were off-road lights covered by decrease #24411, which allows up to eight lights, nevertheless they must be covered when not in off-road benefit.
The appeal
Vitality a persistent companion and, in this position, within the bounds of the regulation, Russell appealed to the California Superior Court, which overturned the lower court ruling. Simply situate, the three-judge panel concluded that the fog lights were auxiliary lights and didn't miss covers.
The feds
Covering all his bases, Russell wrote to the federal Branch of Transportation, Public Highway Safety Management, to produce trustworthy he wouldn't be cited under federal code. The polity's response was that the DOT had no jurisdiction in such matters.
"DOT regulation on motor vehicle lighting (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment) does not prescribe requirements for lamps intended to supplement the headlamps, and thus the lamps...do not have to be certified as meeting Standard No. 108," --Samuel J. Dubbin, DOT Chief Counsel, Dec. 22, 1995.
The moral
That's since there is no inscribe in the USA, apart from California, where Engine vehicle laws specifically lodging the bag of front fog lights. And much in California it was debatable since of conflicting interpretations of laws, until they were clarified in 1996.
The story of Rick Russell
Rick Russell owned a 1956 Jeep Wrangler on which he had installed fog lights on the front bumper.While it would be silly to regulate the placement of fog lights from one municipality to another, there is a parallel case in the state of Pennsylvania, where one small town wanted to ban the use of cell phones while driving. While such prohibitions have been enacted in various forms on a state-by-state basis, what are the odds of a motorist passing through little old East Rockhill Township knowing that he couldn't use a cell phone thanks to community. It's hard enough to tell when you're even in East Rockhill Township. Needless to say, the citation was appealed and the magistrate tossed out the ticket.
Traveling out of the country
For those traveling outside of the USA, however, it is best to inquire about the laws in the country in which you are visiting because of differing regulations about fog lights. Canada, England, Tasmania and Australia, to name a few, have laws pertaining to fog lights. Since 2008 in Australia, For instance, you can be fined $119 for using fog lights in anything other than hazardous weather conditions.
