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Question: What are the laws limiting the different color lights you can have on your tires or undercarriage of your car? Are under vehicle ground effect lights legal in Arizona?

Answer: There are many different extras you can add to your car to make it look really cool, including several types of lights that attach to various places on your car. Although these lights can make your car look cool, safety is one of the first considerations for Arizona laws on this topic. There are very specific guidelines in Arizona Law concerning colored lights and undercarriage or "Ground Effects" lights.

Arizona law says (ARS §28-931) that any reflectors or lights mounted on the front or front side of a car be "amber" which is a yellowish-orange color. And any reflectors or lights on the back or side back must be red, except for signal lights which must be red, yellow or amber. The light illuminating the license plate must be white.

Arizona Law (ARS §28-940) also addresses other car and truck lighting equipment. A car or truck cannot have:

  • more than two side or fender lights and they must be amber or white color.
  • more than one running board light on each side and they must be white or amber color.
  • more than two backup lamps (like a spotlight) but the backup lamps must not be shining while the vehicle is in motion.

Also, Arizona Law (ARS §28-947) has restrictions on the type of headlights you can have, and their brightness. And it is against Arizona Law for any car other than an emergency vehicle to have a red or blue light visible from the front of the vehicle.

So, Arizona Law allows you to have certain lights of certain colors on your car, but you cannot put differently colored lights on the body, under carriage or tires of your car. Safety is the priority, and colored lights can be distracting. People's eyes need to be on the road instead of looking at cool lights in order to avoid causing accidents.

Don't forget that some lights on your car are mandatory, like break lights, turn signals and headlights. You can be pulled over if any of these lights aren't working properly, so make sure to do regular maintenance on you car.


Comments
16 thru 20 of 60 comments
On 06/11/05
Jake from AZ said:
Hey im getting ready to put some red neons unded my car, how much is the fine going to be if i get pulled over with them on? m
On 05/19/05
Bret from AZ said:
i think that if u have red AND blue on the car it should be illgal not just one of them. i mean come on u can paint ur car red and blue and such. if people think there a distraction then the shouldnt drive casue there so easly distracted. my friend just put a set of red LED neons on his car and a cop pulled him over for speeding and the cop was checking out the whole car and talking about it. my car is decked out with blue inside and i dont care if i get pulled over ill fight that ticket untill they give it up.
On 02/19/05
Stan from NE said:
In Nebraska any color other than Amber, on front and front side, and Red in the back or back side is illegal. If you can SEE the Amber color from the back it's illegal. So an undercar Amber light would also be illegal. Just remember that IF you put illegal lights on your car you've unknowngly giving the police department legal right to stop (and possibly search) your car. So I say keep putting the lights on your cars just don't be surprised if you get stopped for no reason.
On 02/18/05
James from IN said:
Ok i have a 89 cavalier z24 i just put pruple led neon lights under it they can flash but i have them on stedy now someone tell me what purple would stand for and why i shouldnt be able to use it i got pulled over for them flashing but i got them on stedy and almost got pulled over for it but i seen him in time and him looking so i turned it off well if you have a answer what color neon is legal in elkhart indiana tell me
On 01/19/05
Tim from OH said:
When you first get your driver's license do you or do so you not read through the laws of your state on the lighting of your vehicle amber or white as it states in the ORC for Ohio. The laws are there for your protection. I am in law enforcement and I have been stopping vehicles with neon lights on them. People saying its for show, so why are they flashing?? Flashing IS for emergency personal whether it fire, EMS, or even the volunteer rushing to get to station for a fire call. Why do they have to be RED and BLUE? Soon you will see LAWS specifically for neons because people abuse the laws.
16 thru 20 of 60 comments



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