Tim Kraayenbrink
Police would be able to issue $30 tickets to drivers who fail to have their vehicle’s headlights on anytime it’s raining, sleeting, snowing or foggy during the day.
“It’s a common sense safety measure,” said Senator Tim Kraayenbrink of Fort Dodge.
Under current law, headlights are to be on from sundown to sunrise and on during the day when visibility is less than 500 feet due to weather conditions. Supporters of the bill says judging visibility distances can be subjective and it makes sense to make it clear headlights should be on during the day when it’s foggy or precipitation is falling — like it was yesterday morning as senators drove to the capitol in Des Moines.
“It’s very timely…that we’re talking about this issue,” Kraayenbrink said.
Senators tacked language onto the bill to make it clear drivers encountering bad weahter during the daytime won’t have to override automatic lighting systems. Those daytime “running lights” triggered by sensors in most modern vehicles will meet the requirements of the bill. The proposal now goes to the House vote review.