Maintenance of Lamps: Get Your Headlights Fixed
I was driving home last night on the Garden State Parkway and I couldn't believe how many vehicles I saw with one headlight out. Driving around with a headlight out is asking to be pulled over in New Jersey. Under New Jersey Motor Vehicle laws, driving with a headlight out is a violation of N.J.S.A. 39:3-66 which provides:
§ 39:3-66. Maintenance of lamps, reflectors, etc
All lamps, reflectors and other illuminating devices required by this article shall be kept clean and in good working order and, as far as practicable, shall be mounted in such a manner as to reduce the likelihood of their being obscured by mud or dust thrown up by the wheels.
As a result, driving with a headlight or taillight out is a clear violation of the statute. However, this is not the real problem. A violation of NJSA 39:3-66 merely results in a fine. However, this violation allows law enforcement to pull you over and often leads to other violations. For example, you can be charged with driving without a license, driving on a suspended license, possession of marijuana, or failure to exhibit documents once you are pulled over by the police and they are allowed to investigate further. Therefore, it is imperative that you make sure all your lights (headlights and taillights) are in good working order at all times. Otherwise, you will surely be pulled over and receive a ticket for a violation of NJSA 39:3-66 and you may be looking at additional violations depending on the circumstances of your traffic stop.
