Headlight Laws in Texas Mean Many are Driving Illegally at Night

(Tyler, Texas) - We've all been guilty of it, not turning our headlights on at night. It's easy to not know because of the way our dashboards are always lit up. And not every vehicle has the auto headlights option to turn them when it gets dark. Mine doesn't.

We have to make sure that our headlights are turned on even if you have the auto on feature. You have to be able to see the roadway ahead of you. Other people have to be able to see you approaching. What you may not know is that it's illegal to drive at night with them off.

Headlight Laws in Texas

Your headlights serve a couple of purposes. One is to allow you to see what's in front of you when driving at night. The other is to allow other people to see you either at night or during inclement weather. Cars nowadays have sensors built in that will automatically turn on your headlights when the natural light gets dim. For whatever reason, some just don't keep this option on.

For those who keep it off and "forget" to turn their lights on (again, how does someone forget to do this), they are technically breaking Texas law. You can find the law in section 547.321 of the Texas Transportation Code:

Sec. 547.321. HEADLAMPS REQUIRED. (a) A motor vehicle shall be equipped with at least two headlamps.
(b) At least one headlamp shall be mounted on each side of the front of the vehicle.
(c) Each headlamp shall be mounted at a height from 24 to 54 inches.

That also means that if a headlight is burned out, it must be replaced immediately. You can be ticketed for it.

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Illegal to Drive with Headlights Turned Off

Sec. 547.302. DUTY TO DISPLAY LIGHTS. (a) A vehicle shall display each lighted lamp and illuminating device required by this chapter to be on the vehicle:
(1) at nighttime; and
(2) when light is insufficient or atmospheric conditions are unfavorable so that a person or vehicle on the highway is not clearly discernible at a distance of 1,000 feet ahead.

Its not stated in the code but your headlights should be turned on 30 minutes after sunset and remain on while driving until 30 minutes before sunrise.

Headlight Laws in Texas

Sec. 547.326. MINIMUM LIGHTING EQUIPMENT REQUIRED. (a) A vehicle that is not specifically required to be equipped with lamps or other lighting devices shall be equipped at the times specified in Section 547.302(a) with at least one lamp that emits a white light visible at a distance of at least 1,000 feet from the front
Sec. 547.303. COLOR REQUIREMENTS. (a) Unless expressly provided otherwise, a lighting device or reflector mounted on the rear of a vehicle must be or reflect red.
(b) A signaling device mounted on the rear of a vehicle may be red, amber, or yellow.

Use them. "It's nobody's business where I'm going." Uh, yes it is. Otherwise you'll cause a wreck because the drivers around you didn't know your intention. And yes, you can get a ticket if you are not following these laws.

Yes, we are free to do whatever we won't in the United States of America. But freedom doesn't mean there are not restrictions or rules that must be followed. Otherwise, the chaos that we think we're experiencing now can be multiplied by a thousand. We don't want that at all.