INDIANA – A new Indiana state law goes into effect July 1, clarifying an existing law regarding headlight colors as well as eliminating loopholes which were used to get around the old law.
Senate Bill 266 will soon become Public Law 164. It was signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb March 21 and deals with regulations related to motor vehicle safety – including headlight, brake light, and turn signal colors.
Beginning July 1, Hoosier drivers will only be permitted to display white or amber headlights. All other headlight shades will be illegal.
“That head lamps on motor vehicles, motorcycles and motor driven cycles may display only white or amber light. Requires that motor vehicles except for motorcycles, motor vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1956 and motor driven cycles must be equipped with two stoplights,” the law states.
The law further specifies brake lights on the rear of a vehicle must be red, and signal lights at the rear of the vehicle must display only red or amber lights, including any shade of color between red and amber.
A car is in compliance with the new law if someone standing in front of it with the lights on can see only white or amber colored lights.
Indiana drivers should not count on a grace period after the law goes into effect, though each officer will be allowed to make their own determination in individual situations.
“Please change your lights, because I will be enforcing this very strongly,” said Damon Land of the Westport Town Marshal’s office.
The new law also requires license plates to be displayed in an upright, horizontal position with the registration expiration year visible in the upper right corner. Renewal stickers must be securely attacked to the upper right corner of the license plate and must cover the previous year’s sticker.
License plate lights must be white as well.