Vehicle Equipment: Lights

ORS 816.350
Prohibitions on number and kind of lights for certain vehicles

Text
Annotations

This section establishes requirements for ORS 816.360 (Use of prohibited lighting equipment). When specific types of lighting equipment are mentioned by this section, those types are types described under ORS 816.040 (Lighting equipment standards) to 816.290 (End load lights). Except as allowed under this section or where an exemption under ORS 816.370 (Exemptions from lighting equipment prohibitions) specifically provides otherwise, a vehicle that does not comply with this section is in violation of ORS 816.360 (Use of prohibited lighting equipment):

(1)(a) A motorcycle may not be equipped with more than three headlights.

(b)

A moped may not be equipped with more than two headlights.

(2)

Except when blue or purple inserts are allowed under ORS 816.080 (Taillights), 816.100 (Brake lights) or 816.120 (Turn signals), no vehicle may have any lighting equipment mounted on the rear that displays or reflects any color other than red except for the following lighting equipment:

(a)

Turn signal lights.

(b)

Rear mounted lighting systems.

(c)

Registration plate lights.

(d)

Back-up lights.

(3)

Except as otherwise allowed under this section, only the following types of vehicles may be equipped with public vehicle warning lights:

(a)

A vehicle operated by the state, or any county, city, district or other political subdivision of the state, and used for the construction, improvement, repair, maintenance, operation or patrol of any public highway.

(b)

Vehicles operated by a public utility or telecommunications utility involved in maintenance, repair or construction of their facilities along public rights of way.

(4)

Vehicles operated by a police officer and used for law enforcement may be equipped with any type of police lights, but only these vehicles may be equipped with blue lights.

(5)

Except as otherwise allowed under this section, only a vehicle operated by a weighmaster or motor carrier enforcement officer proceeding under the authority of ORS 810.530 (Authority of weighmasters and motor carrier enforcement officers) may be equipped with weighmaster warning lights.

(6)

Except as otherwise allowed under this section, only tow vehicles may be equipped with tow vehicle warning lights.

(7)

Except as otherwise allowed under this section, only a motor vehicle escort accompanying a motor vehicle carrying or towing a load of a size or description not permitted under ORS 815.160 (Unlawful use of metal objects on tires), 815.170 (Operation without pneumatic tires), 818.020, 818.060 (Violation of administratively imposed weight or size limits), 818.090, 818.110 (Exceeding maximum number of vehicles in combination), 818.160 (Violating towing safety requirements) and 818.300 (Operating with sifting or leaking load) may be equipped with a pilot vehicle warning light.

(8)

Except as otherwise allowed under this section, only the following vehicles may be equipped with bus safety lights:

(a)

School buses.

(b)

Worker transport buses.

(c)

Vehicles issued a permit under ORS 818.260 (Permit for use of bus safety lights on certain buses).

(9)

No vehicle except a vehicle used in active service transporting United States Mail may be equipped with mail delivery lights.

(10)

Except as otherwise allowed under this section, fire company warning lights may only be used on the following vehicles:

(a)

An emergency vehicle.

(b)

A vehicle authorized under a permit issued under ORS 818.250 (Permit for fire company warning lights).

(c)

Funeral lead vehicles and funeral escort vehicles used to escort funeral processions.

(11)

Except as otherwise allowed under this section, no vehicle or equipment may display or carry any lighting equipment or device with a red light visible from directly in front of the vehicle or equipment.

(12)

Except as otherwise allowed under this section, all flashing lights are prohibited on all motor vehicles on any street or highway except for turn signals, hazard lights and headlight flashing systems described in ORS 816.050 (Headlights).

(13)

No motor vehicle other than an emergency vehicle may be equipped with more than one spotlight.

(14)

No motor vehicle may be equipped with more than two cowl or fender lights.

(15)

A vehicle at the scene of an actual or potential release of hazardous materials may be equipped with warning lights as described in ORS 816.280 (Warning lights) (1)(d).

(16)

A vehicle being used by medical examiners to reach the scene of an accident or of a death investigation may be equipped with warning lights as described in ORS 816.280 (Warning lights) (1)(e).

(17)

A vehicle may be equipped with covers on any of the following lights if the covers are removed when the lights are required to be in operation:

(a)

Headlights under ORS 816.050 (Headlights).

(b)

Taillights under ORS 816.080 (Taillights).

(c)

Brake lights under ORS 816.100 (Brake lights).

(d)

Turn signals under ORS 816.120 (Turn signals).

(e)

Reflectors under ORS 816.180 (Reflectors).

(18)

A commercial vehicle, as defined in ORS 801.210 (“Commercial vehicle) (2), may be equipped with commercial vehicle warning lights. [1983 c.338 §464; 1985 c.16 §243; 1985 c.71 §6; 1987 c.447 §140; 1989 c.402 §13; 1991 c.482 §17; 1991 c.769 §2; 1993 c.741 §105; 1997 c.492 §4; 1999 c.497 §3; 2003 c.118 §1; 2003 c.158 §31; 2003 c.245 §4]