Lindell & Lavoie PERSONAL INJURY
AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION Blog

Lindell & Lavoie PERSONAL INJURY
AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION Blog

Headlights and taillights are necessary not only at night

On Behalf of | Oct 21, 2021 | Personal Injury, Truck Accidents |

You may know that you must turn on your headlights and taillights when you drive at night. What you probably don’t know is that drivers in Minnesota must also drive with their lights on during the daytime in some instances. Weather conditions such as fog or snow can decrease the driver’s visibility of the road ahead, which is why the law requires drivers to turn their lights on when the weather is unfavorable.

Minnesota’s vehicle lighting statute

Headlights not only illuminate the road ahead, but they also allow other cars to see you. Having the lights out at night makes it impossible for other cars to know that you are coming their way, and not being seen by other cars can increase your chances of getting into an accident. Some weather conditions also make it impossible for drivers to see clearly. That is why drivers in Minnesota must turn on their lights in these situations.

  • Anytime between sunset and sunrise
  • When it’s raining, snowing, sleeting or hailing
  • When visibility is low enough that the driver can’t see 500 feet ahead (when there’s fog or smoke)

Some cars have lights that turn on automatically when visibility is poor. However, the car’s sensors can fail to turn them on when it’s still clear outside, like when it’s snowing during the day. Because of this, you should know how to change your lights manually and do so when you can no longer see the road ahead.

Avoiding the consequences

Driving without headlights and taillights in bad weather conditions is very dangerous. To avoid facing legal consequences, you must always remember to turn your lights on when you can’t see clearly. By turning on your lights, not only will you be able to drive better, but you can also prevent a severe accident.