SurfnSoCal

Can anyone speak to the legality of the tail lamp covers pictured here:

Tail Lamp Covers


specifically CA law...

Kluski

Didn't see anything about taillights

was the article I saw on the link.

In that case I think this article does not effect anything related to taillight covers. You should be safe.

SurfnSoCal

lol...yeah, I put the wrong link...its changed now

S197 GT

I don't know what Johnie Law says, but I am interested in putting the tail light covers on my black GT.

SurfnSoCal

well they just arrived in the mail, so I will be putting them on today...and pics tonight or tomorrow.

But my mom got the package while I am at work....and she flipped out on me, saying they were illegal. so I need to figure it out before I go home.

azlitigator

Depends on the law in your state. Go ask a cop

...

california has a "modified lighting" law......depends on the cop, but if they really wanted to be a weiner they could write you up for that.....

SurfnSoCal

well I put them on. pics up tomorrow.

Mustang Mike 05

Hate to tell you,,, but they are illegal in California. You might get away with them for a while but you could get caught. I had them on my F150 and got popped for them..

Seven

I'm all for form following function. In this case, they may "look cool" (even that is a point of debate), but they do decrease the lighting, meaning they impair your view of the road, and your visibility to others. In some cases those types of covers make your taillights nearly impossible to see under certain conditions, something which is only made worse when your vehicle is dirty at all.

Thanks but no thanks. Never cared for them, never will.

MojoKhan

I agree with Seven. I had the headlight covers on mine for about 2 weeks. Loved the way they looked, but the reduced visibility was severe enough that I wound up taking them off.

A friend who has them on his 95 GT says that after dark in the rain you might as well not turn your headlights on. *shrug*

SurfnSoCal

these are the taillight covers. not the head light. But, if someone rear ends me...and its proven that I had the covers on.....I might be found at fault. :-(

wild stray

If you were the insurance company representing the person that rear ended you, what would your position be? :scratch:

94tbird

are they plastic covers or tint like the ninosport ones?

GRAYPNY

It's like not putting a 3rd brakelight on your car when adding a CDC spoiler. It's illegal not to have it and if you were in a wreck and the person that rearended you found out that your car wasn't legal I would say you would be in deep doo doo!

Hellcat6

Sorry but IMHO, this is just a bad idea. Try to get past the style and think about your own safety and those who share the road with you. I came very close to hitting a Trans Am with these stupid things. I just did not notice his brake lights. Be careful out there!

mustp51

For those in Fla.,
Smoked headlight and taillight covers are illegal here.
I got a ticket for headlight covers last year, when I checked the Fla statutes page, it listed taillight covers as well.
Yeah, the HL covers looked cool on the car, but I had to switch to SilverStar bulbs just to have enough light to drive by with them on the car.
jeff

SaleenPowr

Legal or not, plain ugly and that fad went out in the 90's. GTS covers look like crap on the back of the 05's.

SurfnSoCal

OUCH!

Well Greg, thanks for your opinion...but they look sick on my car.

Snets

The tail lamp covers pictured in your link I think are illegal in CA.

1) Tail lamps must be visible from 1000 feet when lit and must be red in color. (24600 CVC)

2) I am assuming that when the brake pedal is pressed, these still light up RED which is required under section 24603 CVC. They must also be clearly visible in any lighting (think bright sunlight) from 300 feet.

3) I do not see any red reflector area anywhere to the rear of the car pictured. Red reflectors are required by law, see 24607 CVC:

"24607. Every vehicle subject to registration under this code shall
at all times be equipped with red reflectors mounted on the rear as
follows:
(a) Every vehicle shall be equipped with at least one reflector so
maintained as to be plainly visible at night from all distances
within 350 to 100 feet from the vehicle when directly in front of the
lawful upper headlamp beams.
(b ) Every vehicle, other than a motorcycle or a low-speed vehicle,
manufactured and first registered on or after January 1, 1965, shall
be equipped with at least two reflectors meeting the visibility
requirements of subdivision (a), except that trailers and
semitrailers manufactured after July 23, 1973, that are less than 30
inches wide, may be equipped with one reflector which shall be
mounted at or near the vertical centerline of the trailer. If the
vehicle is equipped with two reflectors, they shall be mounted as
specified in subdivision (d).
© Every motortruck having an unladen weight of more than 5,000
pounds, every trailer coach, every camp trailer, every vehicle, or
vehicle at the end of a combination of vehicles, subject to
subdivision (a) of Section 22406, and every vehicle 80 or more inches
in width manufactured on or after January 1, 1969, shall be equipped
with at least two reflectors maintained so as to be plainly visible
at night from all distances within 600 feet to 100 feet from the
vehicle when directly in front of lawful upper headlamp beams.
(d) When more than one reflector is required, at least one shall
be mounted at the left side and one at the right side, respectively,
at the same level. Required reflectors shall be mounted not lower
than 15 inches nor higher than 60 inches, except that a tow truck, in
addition to being equipped with the required reflectors, may also be
equipped with two reflectors which may be mounted not lower than 15
inches nor higher than the maximum allowable vehicle height and as
far forward as the rearmost portion of the driver's seat in the
rearmost position. Additional reflectors of a type meeting
requirements established by the department may be mounted at any
height.
(e) Reflectors on truck tractors may be mounted on the rear of the
cab. Any reflector installed on a vehicle as part of its original
equipment prior to January 1, 1941, need not meet the requirements of
the department provided it meets the visibility requirements of
subdivision (a).
(f) Area reflectorizing material may be used in lieu of the
reflectors required or permitted in subdivisions (a), (b ), ©, (d),
and (e), provided each installation is of sufficient size to meet the
photometric requirement for those reflectors."