GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 416

Short Title:  Wipers On/Headlights On.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Weatherly; Isenhower, Anderson, N. Crawford, Stam, Hurley, Lail, Bowman, Grimmer, Wood, and Mercer.
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Referred to:  Judiciary.
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March 1, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THAT HEADLIGHTS BE ILLUMINATED WHEN WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ON.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. G.S. 20-129(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	When Vehicles Must Be Equipped. – Every vehicle upon a highway within this State shall be equipped with lighted headlamps and rear lamps as required for different classes of vehicles, and subject to exemption with reference to lights on parked vehicles as declared in G.S. 20-134:
(1)	During the period from sunset to sunrise,
(2)	When there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible any person on the highway at a distance of 400 feet ahead, or
(3) 	When the lack of visibility through the windshield requires the windshield wipers to be activated and the vehicle is within a school zone during the regular school hours of the school year.
(4)	At any other time when windshield wipers are in use as a result of rain, sleet, or snow, or when inclement weather or environmental factors severely reduce the ability to clearly discern persons and vehicles on the street and highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead, provided, however, the provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to instances when windshield wipers are used intermittently in misting rain, sleet, or snow."
Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective October 1, 1989.