On the eve of the New Year, streets lit up with festive glow, as cars wore garlands, colorful headlights, and unusual body lighting. The mood brightened for drivers and bystanders alike, yet there is a practical side that must be considered: certain eye-catching decorations can push the limits of traffic law.
Experts note that modern road rules address vehicle lighting and decorative accessories through specific regulatory codes. In many jurisdictions, violations carry penalties such as fines or even suspension of driving privileges. New Year adornments are not exempt from these rules, and drivers should be aware that authorities take such features seriously.
A specialist from the Department of Finance for Sustainable Development explains that garlands and similar lighting must conform to prescribed standards. Only lighting components that match the vehicle’s approved color spectrum and installation guidelines are allowed. Decorative lighting should be part of the vehicle’s official equipment, not aftermarket add-ons that blur color or placement boundaries, she says.
Technical regulations often limit kilowattage, color in the backlighting, and the overall appearance of visibility aids. Replacing standard headlights with high-intensity LEDs without approval can trigger penalties. When non-standard lamps with multi-colored illumination are used in lighting devices, the consequences may be more serious than a simple citation.
For example, lighting that obscures a license plate or uses rainbow hues in a way that violates visibility requirements can be treated as a traffic violation. This could lead to a temporary loss of driving privileges and the confiscation of the decorative lighting devices, depending on local law. In short, bright, multi-color garlands on the front of a vehicle or nonstandard blue or rainbow daytime running lights can lead to license suspension.
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Source: Secrets of the Stars ASTRO