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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
21 thru 25 of 60 comments
On 11/22/04
Andrew from OH said:
The State of Ohio is also becoming mor strict of acessory lighting. Our laws being simmilar to those of other states banning flashing, ocillating or strobing lights for road use, especially those colors used by emergency services. As a police officer in Ohio, I can say that the laws reguarding the issues of vehicle lighting existed long before noen and other vehicle lighing systems became popular. Exhaust systems are also becomming an issue. Be sure to check state AND local regulations BEFORE you purchase and install it.
On 09/24/04
Spopo 420 from AZ said:
i have been pulled over a number of times about my green under-glow lights. so i have been wonder if i put amber color lights insted of green that would be legal right?
On 09/01/04
Patrick from AZ said:
I have a honda civic and have been thinking about putting lights under my car and i did not even think that it would be illegal until i visited this website. I really dont think that people are going to mistake neon lights under a "Rice Rocket" for an ambulance or a police car i mean if you are really that stupid you shouldnt be driving in the first place.
On 06/07/04
Mike from NH said:
I have a Blue 1994 Mitsubishi 3000GT i want an underbody neon kit but iv heard its illegal to have blue or red.....if this is true wat colors could i get that are legal an look good withthe blue car?
On 05/19/04
Stefan from AZ said:
First of all its not wrong to get brighter lights. I have a brighter lights for the purpose of seeing better, so does that make me a criminal?? NO it does not. It would appear we have alot of narrow minded Adults that think everything they do not know is bad..
21 thru 25 of 60 comments



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