A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to clarify that motor vehicles must have at least one working stop lamp on each side of the rear of the vehicle and to make other clarifying changes.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 20‑129(g) reads as rewritten:
"(g)	No person shall sell or operate on the highways of the State any motor vehicle, manufactured after December 31, 1970, unless it shall be equipped with stop lamps, one on each side of the rear of the vehicle. No person shall sell or operate on the highways of the State any motorcycle or motor‑driven cycle, manufactured after December 31, 1970, unless it shall be equipped with a stop lamp on the rear of the motorcycle or motor‑driven cycle. The stop lamps shall emit, reflect, or display a red or amber light visible from a distance of not less than 100 feet to the rear in normal sunlight, and shall be actuated upon application of the service (foot) brake. The stop lamps may be incorporated into a unit with one or more other rear lamps."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 20‑129.1 reads as rewritten:
"§ 20‑129.1.  Additional lighting equipment required on certain vehicles.
In addition to other equipment required by this Chapter, the following vehicles shall be equipped as follows:
(1)	On every bus or truck, whatever its size, there shall be the following:
On the rear, two reflectors, one at each side, and two stop lamps, one at each side.
(2)	On every bus or truck 80 inches or more in overall width, in addition to the requirements in subdivision (1):
On the front, two clearance lamps, one at each side.
On the rear, two clearance lamps, one at each side.
On each side, two side marker lamps, one at or near the front and one at or near the rear.
On each side, two reflectors, one at or near the front and one at or near the rear.
(3)	On every truck tractor:
On the front, two clearance lamps, one at each side.
On the rear, two stop lamps, one at each side.
(4)	On every trailer or semitrailer having a gross weight of 4,000 pounds or more:
On the front, two clearance lamps, one at each side.
On each side, two side marker lamps, one at or near the front and one at or near the rear.
On each side, two reflectors, one at or near the front and one at or near the rear.
On the rear, two clearance lamps, one at each side, also two reflectors, one at each side, and two stop lamps, one at each side.
(5)	On every pole trailer having a gross weight of 4,000 pounds or more:
On each side, one side marker lamp and one clearance lamp which may be in combination, to show to the front, side and rear.
On the rear of the pole trailer or load, two reflectors, one at each side.
(6)	On every trailer, semitrailer or pole trailer having a gross weight of less than 4,000 pounds:
On the rear, two reflectors, one on each side. If any trailer or semitrailer is so loaded or is of such dimensions as to obscure the stoplight on the towing vehicle, then such vehicle shall also be equipped with two stop lamps, one at each side.
(7)	Front clearance lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the front or on the side near the front of a vehicle shall display or reflect an amber color.
(8)	Rear clearance lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the rear or on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall display or reflect a red color.
(9)	Stop lamps (and/or brake reflectors) on the rear of a motor vehicle shall be constructed so that the light emitted, reflected, or displayed is red, except that a motor vehicle originally manufactured with amber stop lamps may emit, reflect, or display an amber light. The light illuminating the license plate shall be white. All other lights shall be white, amber, yellow, clear or red.
(10)	On every trailer and semitrailer which is 30 feet or more in length and has a gross weight of 4,000 pounds or more, one combination marker lamp showing amber and mounted on the bottom side rail at or near the center of each side of the trailer."
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.