During darkness, a vehicle shall be equipped with lighted lighting equipment as required for the vehicle by this chapter.
Lighting EquipmentGeneral Provisions
Section § 24250
This law requires that vehicles must have their lights on when it is dark. The specific lighting equipment needed depends on what is required for that type of vehicle according to this chapter.
vehicle lighting equipment darkness headlights
Section § 24251
This law specifies that the requirements for how far away lights on a vehicle must make a person or another vehicle visible apply when it’s dark, on a straight, level road without streetlights, and in regular weather conditions. If a different situation is mentioned, then those specific conditions would apply instead.
Any requirement in this chapter as to the distance from which any lighting equipment shall render a person or vehicle visible or within which any lighting equipment shall be visible shall apply during darkness, directly ahead upon a straight, level unlighted highway, and under normal atmospheric conditions, unless a different time, direction, or condition is expressly stated.
vehicle lighting visibility distance darkness conditions
Section § 24252
CA Vehicle Code Section 24252 mandates that all necessary vehicle lights must be kept in good working condition. They must use bulbs with the correct voltage. Required lighting includes those lights specified by the code and federal regulations. The voltage at the lamp socket should not be less than 85% of the bulb's design voltage, and tests should be done with the engine running.
You can combine multiple light functions, but they must each meet specific requirements. For instance, a turn signal cannot be combined with a stoplight unless the stoplight goes off when the turn signal is in use. Also, clearance lights can't be combined with taillights or ID lights.
(a)Copy CA Vehicle Code § 24252(a)
(1)Copy CA Vehicle Code § 24252(a)(1) All lighting equipment of a required type installed on a vehicle shall at all times be maintained in good working order. Lamps shall be equipped with bulbs of the correct voltage rating corresponding to the nominal voltage at the lamp socket.
(2)CA Vehicle Code § 24252(a)(2) For purposes of this section, “lighting equipment of a required type” includes lighting equipment specifically required by this code and lighting equipment required pursuant to Part 393 or Part 571 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(b)CA Vehicle Code § 24252(b) The voltage at a tail, stop, license plate, side marker or clearance lamp socket on a vehicle shall not be less than 85 percent of the design voltage of the bulb. Voltage tests shall be conducted with the engine operating.
(c)CA Vehicle Code § 24252(c) Two or more lamp or reflector functions may be combined, provided each function subject to requirements established by the department meets those
requirements.
(1)CA Vehicle Code § 24252(c)(1) A turn signal lamp may not be combined optically with a stoplamp unless the stoplamp is extinguished when the turn signal is flashing.
(2)CA Vehicle Code § 24252(c)(2) A clearance lamp may not be combined optically with a taillamp or identification
lamp.
vehicle lighting maintenance correct voltage bulbs required lighting equipment
Section § 24253
This regulation requires that all cars made and first registered after January 1, 1970, and all motorcycles made and registered after January 1, 1971, must have taillights that stay on for at least 15 minutes if the engine stops. Cars use an energy-storing system for this, which gets recharged by the vehicle itself.
(a)CA Vehicle Code § 24253(a) All motor vehicles manufactured and first registered after January 1, 1970, shall be equipped so all taillamps are capable of remaining lighted for a period of at least one-quarter hour with the engine inoperative. This requirement shall be complied with by an energy storing system which is recharged by energy produced by the vehicle.
(b)CA Vehicle Code § 24253(b) All motorcycles manufactured and first registered after January 1, 1971, shall be equipped so all taillamps, when turned on, will remain lighted automatically for a period of at least one-quarter hour if the engine stops.
taillights motor vehicles energy storing system
Section § 24254
This law states that when specifying the required height for lights or reflectors on a vehicle, the measurement should be taken from the center of the light or reflector down to the ground level. This measurement should be done when the vehicle is unloaded.
Whenever a requirement is declared as to the mounted height of lamps or reflectors, the height shall be measured from the center of the lamp or reflector to the level surface upon which the vehicle stands when it is without a load.
mounted height lamps reflectors
Section § 24255
This law allows vehicles to have systems that help drivers see better at night using infrared light and displays. They must not block the driver's view or produce glaring light that could distract others. These systems can only be used when the car's headlights are on and have to be connected to the headlight switch, so they work together. The light from these systems can't be combined with other car lights, although they can be in the same housing, as long as they don't interfere with the other lights' functions.
(a)CA Vehicle Code § 24255(a) A vehicle may be equipped with a system to supplement the driver’s visibility of the roadway to the front or rear of the vehicle during darkness. This system may incorporate an illuminating device that emits radiation predominantly in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum and a display monitor to provide an image visible to the driver of the vehicle. The system, or any portion of it, shall not obstruct the vision of the driver, and shall not emit any glaring light visible in any direction or to any person. The illuminating
device may be mounted inside the vehicle, if it is constructed and mounted so as to prevent any direct or reflected light, other than a monitorial indicator emitted from the device, from being visible to the driver.
(b)CA Vehicle Code § 24255(b) The system shall be operated only with the headlamps lighted. An illuminating device for the system shall be interlocked with the headlamp switch so that it is operable only when the headlamps are lighted.
(c)Copy CA Vehicle Code § 24255(c)
(1)Copy CA Vehicle Code § 24255(c)(1) No part of the illuminating device may be physically or optically combined with any other required or permitted lighting device.
(2)CA Vehicle Code § 24255(c)(2) The illuminating device may be installed within a housing containing other required or permitted lighting devices, if the function of the other devices is not impaired thereby.
driver visibility enhancement infrared illumination nighttime driving aids
