Question about legality of lights on an automobile

[Guest Joey]

Specifically I'm wondering if this would be street legal, but with white lights, not amber ones:

 

http://www.customdynamics.com/Images/led_truck_grille_close_up_w.jpg

 

As far as I could tell, it should be legal since it is not blue and not flashing.  The lights will not be pointed down at the ground.

 

Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Tennessee Code pertaining to lights on automobiles:  http://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/2010/title-55/chapter-9/part-4/55-9-402/

[Wyldk2]

My cousin had blue lights on his front blinkers. At the time he put them on, his truck was only used as a sled pulling truck so off-road it didn't matter. On road i think you can use any other color besides red or blue. And as long as it isn't flashing you can supposedly use any color. But the rules on that may vary from state to state. In General, I would not advise on using flashing red or blue lights on the roads. White, I think is ok.

[Guest CCI]

That is an eye catcher!

[Oh Shoot]

As far as I could tell, it should be legal since it is not blue and not flashing.  The lights will not be pointed down at the ground.

 

Fog light type stuff isn't legal?

 

- OS

[Guest Joey]

Wyldk2:  I thought white or amber [i]should[/i] be ok in the grill.  I wouldn't be doing any ground effects type stuff.

 

CCI:  It is nice isn't it?!

[East_TN_Patriot]

Being able to only speak from the perspective of one who has worked as a LEO in Kentucky and Florida, I would say that they would be legal as long as they weren't so bright that they caused a distraction to other drivers and do not flash while operated on the roadway.  It appears the proper Tennessee statute that addresses this would be 55-9-042 (2)(d)(1):
 

 

(d)  (1) Except as provided in this section, no vehicle operated in this state shall be equipped with any flashing white or amber lights or any combination of white and amber lights that display to the front of the vehicle except a passenger motor vehicle operated by an organ procurement organization or a person under an agreement with an organ procurement organization when transporting an organ for human transplantation. No vehicle operated in this state shall be equipped with any flashing red or white light or any combination of red or white lights that displays to the front of the vehicle except school buses, a passenger motor vehicle operated by a rural mail carrier of the United States postal service while performing the duties of a rural mail carrier, authorized law enforcement vehicles only when used in combination with a flashing blue light, and emergency vehicles used in firefighting, including ambulances, emergency vehicles used in firefighting that are owned or operated by the division of forestry, firefighting vehicles, rescue vehicles, privately owned vehicles of regular or volunteer firefighters certified in § 55-9-201(c), or other emergency vehicles used in firefighting owned, operated, or subsidized by the governing body of any county or municipality.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-9-402

Edited December 29, 2012 by East_TN_Patriot

[Guest Joey]

Fog light type stuff isn't legal?

 

- OS

 

Fog lights are legal, but I was thinking about the ground effects type lights you see on ricers.  I've always heard that was illegal because it distracted other drivers.

[Wyldk2]

Thought about going with green in my grill at one time. But added aftermarket headlights( projection kind) with Leds all over and right after i put amber leds in the turn signal areas i find out from my cousin( who's fiancee works for TDOT) that i can use any color besides red or blue. Going to put green in my flashers eventually. ( matches the vehicle better).

[luvmyberetta]

It shouldn't be a problem. I used to have a show truck with green & white neon & LED lights mounted in the grille area, underside, & inside. It also had about 20 strobe lights on it too, but they were strickly for off road and shows & I never used them on the street & I never used blue. I never got warnings about the lights, but my sound system got the attention of the police several times. 12,000 watts gets you noticed pretty quick when you shake a cops coffee off his dash.  :rock:

Edited December 29, 2012 by luvmyberetta

[BrasilNuts]

That's a cool pic. Looks like there's a furnace under the hood.

[Motasyco]

You're likely to be pulled over so they can help put out the fire under your hood.

[56FordGuy]

That's a cool pic. Looks like there's a furnace under the hood.

 

I thought it looked kind of like a toaster oven. :lol:

[willis68]

I love that Super duty, beautiful truck!

[Guest sL1k]

I passed an suv decked out with bright Christmas lights tonight. Going to say that was not legal lol.