Louisiana Auxiliary Lights: Two Fog Lamps, Two Driving Lamps, and Covers Required at the Brake Tag

R.S. 32:317, headed "Spotlights and auxiliary lamps", is the permission-granting section, and it is written as a set of caps rather than a general licence. Fog lamps are limited to two, mounted on the front of the vehicle at a height of not less than 12 inches nor more than 30 inches above the surface on which the vehicle stands, and aimed so that with the vehicle unloaded none of the high intensity portion of the light to the left of the vehicle's centre projects, at 25 feet ahead, higher than 4 inches below the centre of the lamp. Fog lamps meeting that description may be used together with low beams. Auxiliary passing lamps are limited to two at a mounting height of 24 to 42 inches, and auxiliary driving lamps to two at 16 to 42 inches. In both cases R.S. 32:321 governs any combination with the head lamps, which means the composite beam still has to reveal persons and vehicles at 500 feet on high and 150 feet on low without directing the high intensity portion into an approaching driver's eyes.

Spotlights are far more tightly held than auxiliary lamps and are not a general consumer item in Louisiana. R.S. 32:317(A)(1) authorises a spotlight only on a publicly owned emergency vehicle, on a vehicle operated by a public service corporation as approved by the secretary of the Department of Public Safety, within a municipality where a special ordinance specifically permits it and only inside that municipality, or on a vehicle owned and operated by a farmer. The farmer exception carries five cumulative conditions: the lamp may be mounted only on the back panel of the cab of a pickup truck, may not rotate more than 180 degrees at the rear of the cab, may not face the front of the vehicle at any time, may be used solely for agricultural purposes, and may not be operated on any state or local highway. Where a spotlight is permitted at all, Subsection A(2) requires that on approaching another vehicle no part of the high intensity beam be directed to the left of the prolongation of the extreme left side of the vehicle, nor more than one hundred feet ahead.

Three further sections cap what the whole assembly may do. R.S. 32:326(B) provides that where a vehicle with required head lamps also carries auxiliary lamps or any other front lamp projecting more than 300 candlepower, no more than four such lamps may be lighted at any one time on a Louisiana highway. R.S. 32:327(A) requires any lighted lamp other than head lamps, spotlamps, auxiliary lamps, flashing turn signals, emergency vehicle warning lamps and school bus warning lamps that projects more than 300 candlepower to be aimed so that no part of the high intensity portion strikes the roadway 75 feet from the vehicle. R.S. 32:322(D) then restricts when the lamps may be used at all: a driver may not use fog lamps or any other auxiliary driving or passing lamps while approaching an oncoming vehicle within five hundred feet or following another vehicle within two hundred feet, except during inclement weather or fog.

Colour is regulated separately and strictly. R.S. 32:327(B) prohibits driving with any lamp displaying a red or green light visible from directly in front of its centre, with an exception for department vehicles displaying green lights. Subsection C prohibits flashing lights except on authorised emergency vehicles, school buses, and as turn indicators or hazard warning. Subsection D bans the sale to anyone of a dashboard, hood, front grill or roof mounted emergency light emitting a blue glow, and Subsection E bans the sale of a red, or red and white, emergency light to anyone who is not a peace officer, firefighter, or a person employed in emergency, highway construction or public utility services, and bans possession of such a light outside those groups. The one carve-out is for vehicles owned by members of tax-exempt nonprofit corporations under R.S. 12:201 et seq. used for exhibition in shows, parades and tours rather than general transportation, which may carry alternately flashing red lights visible at five hundred feet in normal sunlight, but only while actually taking part in the event.

Because Louisiana still inspects vehicles, these rules are enforced twice. LAC 55:III.813.G.2 requires that auxiliary lighting equipment not be placed on, in or in front of any required lamp, nor interfere with the necessary visibility width of any lamp. LAC 55:III.813.G.6 goes further than the statute: any aftermarket auxiliary lamp designed to emit white light, and any auxiliary lamp mounted facing forward, must be covered when the vehicle is used on public streets and highways, and if the lamps are not properly covered the inspector shall reject the vehicle. The same subsection requires two to four head lamps mounted at a centre height between 24 and 54 inches, an operable dimmer switch and beam indicator, and head lamp concealment devices that stay fully open when lit and can be opened without tools.

Lighting offences are prosecuted under the general penalty section for Title 32 Chapter 1. S. 32:57(A)(1) sets a first violation of the chapter or of a departmental regulation made under it at a fine of not more than one hundred seventy-five dollars or imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, and a subsequent violation at not more than five hundred dollars or ninety days, or both; where the violator is not an individual, Subsection B removes imprisonment and doubles the fine. S. 32:57 carries a note that the section was included in the Unconstitutional Statutes Biennial Report to the Legislature dated March 14, 2016, so read that section alongside the report rather than in isolation.

S. 32:1304(D)(1) permits the secretary to suspend the registration of a vehicle for which a required certificate has not been obtained. S. 32:327(E) are separate again and reach the light itself rather than its use, so a red or red-and-white grill light held by someone outside the listed occupations is unlawful whether or not it is ever switched on.