[DEEPRED]

Hello,

I'm prety new to the board here, I just picked up my '99 ES yesterday. and I've already done a couple of simple things to change the way the car looks. I have a short euro-style antenna that get's installed tonight, which is the most noticeable. But I am wondering the legality of the headlight blackouts becuase I would really like to give this a try. Does anyone know of an information source where i would be able to tell for my state. That state Being Iowa. If no one has a resource, would you just recomend I call the DOT to pose my question?
Thanks in advance for the info.

I hope to get pictures soon, as soon as I get a replacement ram head badge for my hood.
-DEEPRED

 

[Intrepid98]

I can't speak for IA, but in IL, they are illegal at night, but not during the day.

Ask JGarrett98, he has headlight covers and he lives in IA

[ August 16, 2001: Message edited by: Intrepid98 ]

 

[01Intrepid]

Yea same here in South Carolina, it legal in the day time, but when it gets dark you better pull them off.... But if you want to know about your state, ask a cop, or call the DOT.....

 

[robin]

I can't imagine them being illegal anywhere in the US during the day. I usually take mine off when driving at night because I think they restrict the light coming out too much to see the road safely.
Peace
Robin

 

[grimmster]

Here in MN they are are also illegal at night, fine during the day. Just found out about taillights. They just have to be visable from 500 ft away (I assume not with the brake on) So I have to assume a couple coats of tint will be a go here in MN. Plus if you look at the old Chev Breatta's (sp) they have factory smoked tail lights!

 

[Bart]

tail-lights visible only 500 feet away? it's 1000 here in washington state. either way, it doesn't take much to make something visible only two blocks away. don't quote me on this, but I think brake lights just have to be 5 times brighter than the tail-lights.

 

[JGarrett911]

Hey DEEPRED, its nice to know there's finally someone else from Iowa on here

if you haven't already found out, Iowa laws totally blow... If you want a list of the 8.7 million restrictions they have on our cars you can check it out here: http://www.legis.state.ia.us/IACODE/2001/321/

as for the headlight blackouts, here's what it says:

A person shall not operate a motor vehicle, motorcycle, or motorized bicycle on the highways of this state if it is equipped with a device that restricts the light output of a head lamp required under section 321.385 or 321.386, a rear lamp required under section 321.387, a signal lamp or signal device required under section 321.404, or a directional signal device as described in section 321.317.

it just says on highways, so i'm assuming they are legal anywhere else? I dont know, my car has "illegal" blackouts, "illegal" tinted tailights and some illegal front window tint, but I've driven by some many cops and none of them care. I even leave my blackouts on at night if I'm just driving home from work in town - my foglights are bright enough for me to see.

 

[DEEPRED]

Thanks all for the info, I will look into it with the DOT, or a cop I see in a quick store or something.

-DEEPRED