Driving without Headlights

Traffic laws in each state contain statutes regarding nighttime driving and the appropriate use of headlights. Driving with poor visibility due to conditions, such as poor or non-working headlights is a main cause of nighttime accidents. Aside from being a main cause of nighttime accidents, driving without headlights after dusk or before dawn, will result in a driving without lights ticket from law enforcement.

Types of Headlight Traffic Violations

Not every driving without lights ticket is the same. Some states afford drivers the opportunity to fix equipment that is not functioning properly, such as headlights through what is known as a correctable violation.

Correctable Violations

Correctable violations, otherwise known as fix-it tickets, are a common form of damaged headlight ticket issued by law enforcement. If a driver addresses the mechanical issue noted on the damaged headlight ticket, and receives a signature from a proper official, such as a law enforcement officer, the citation is dismissed without points on one's license or fines.

Non-Correctable Violations

In other cases, especially those posing nighttime dangerous driving hazards, law enforcement may be less lenient and issue a mechanical violation without the opportunity to correct the violation. Given that nighttime dangerous driving hazards present danger to other drivers and pedestrians, most states tack points onto driver's licenses for these offenses.

Headlight Citation Legal Help

An attorney can prove useful in ensuring your headlight citation does not balloon into something more serious. Given that points may be assessed as a result of these offenses, drivers may be in jeopardy for license suspension due to point accumulation. Having an attorney remedy these situations, as well as drivers immediately making the appropriate mechanical repairs, can oftentimes lead to a dismissal of the citation with the approval of the courts.