I had the unfortunate circumstance of driving around Dallas in the middle of the night with one headlight out last night, and realized that in all my years of driving I had never had a headlight go out! What does one do when a headlight goes out!? Good question. After querying my Twitter and Facebook circles, scouring the web for answers and talking with the Austin Police Department, here are a few things that I learned:
Having a headlight out is not a moving violation
Apparently, in most states, having one headlight out is not considered a moving violation (in some states it is legal to only have one headlight working), but referred to as a “fix-it ticket.” Meaning, the police officer gives you a ticket or fine and tells you to get it fixed as soon as possible. Most of the time, you can then head immediately to an auto parts store to purchase a new headlight, and go to a judge or the police station that issued the ticket, and have the whole thing dismissed, barring a small court fee. You can walk away without getting any points on your driver’s license.
How can you avoid getting pulled over if a headlight goes out?
Alright, well, we know that it’s not that big a deal if you get pulled over for having a headlight out. It’s only a “fix-it ticket” that you can usually get dismissed. But, what if you’ve had a couple of drinks that night? Well, first off, SHAME ON YOU, you shouldn’t be driving in the first place. Call a friend or a cab and come back for your car in the light of day when you’re sober! HOWEVER, if you happen to find yourself in this situation, is there a proper procedure to avoid getting pulled over for a broken headlight?
What the police officers told me
According to the Austin Police Department, the proper procedure is to pull over to the side of the road and have someone take you to an 24 hour auto parts store (the officer I spoke with assured me that these exist in most major cities). DO NOT put on your brights. DO NOT put on your hazard flashers.
Really!? Pull over to the side of the road and call a friend!? So, I pressed and asked what one should do given he/she was in the middle of no where with no friends to call, no cab service available and no 24 hour auto parts store? The officer’s response was that I should continue on my way with only one headlight, only if pulling over to the side of the road and finding another mode of transportation would be an endangerment to my life. “While driving with a headlamp out, you always run the risk of being pulled over. It is then at the officer on duty’s discretion whether you receive a warning or a fine.”
No way around getting pulled over!?
Well, great! So, there is no way to get around being pulled over for having a headlight out! Which means you have to be very careful if you do have a headlight out. If at all possible (especially if you have had a drink or two, even if you are under the legal blood alcohol level), do not drive with a headlight out. Having a headlight out is one of the most common ways to be pulled over and at that point, if you have alcohol on your breath, things can escalate quickly.
The next time you notice you have a headlight out, get to an auto-parts store as quickly as you can and get it replaced! You don’t want to end up in the clink because you were driving around all “one-eyed Willie.” It was suggested to me by several people to keep a spare headlight in the trunk of my car for scenarios like this, but if you’re a responsible driver, it might be better to just get pulled over and explain that you just realized the headlight was out and you were going to get it replaced as soon as you could find an auto parts store that was open. If nothing else, the officer will give you a ticket and then you can get it dismissed in court.
Happy driving!
Have you ever been pulled over for having a headlight out? What was your experience? How did you get out of getting a ticket, or did you get a ticket, or even get hauled of to jail!? I’d love to hear your feedback and stories in the comments section of this post.
