Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 4513 | Traffic Laws - Equipment; Loads
Section 4513.17 | Limit on Number of Lights.

Effective: September 13, 2022
Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 224 (GA 134), House Bill 30 (GA 134)
(A) Whenever a motor vehicle equipped with headlights also is equipped with any auxiliary lights or spotlight or any other light on the front thereof projecting a beam of an intensity greater than three hundred candle power, not more than a total of five of any such lights on the front of a vehicle shall be lighted at any one time when the vehicle is upon a highway.
(B) Any lighted light or illuminating device upon a motor vehicle, other than headlights, spotlights, signal lights, or auxiliary driving lights, that projects a beam of light of an intensity greater than three hundred candle power, shall be so directed that no part of the beam will strike the level of the roadway on which the vehicle stands at a distance of more than seventy-five feet from the vehicle.
(C)(1) Flashing lights are prohibited on motor vehicles, except as a means for indicating a right or a left turn, or in the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, or overtaking or passing.
(2) The prohibition in division (C)(1) of this section does not apply to any of the following:
(a) Emergency vehicles, road service vehicles servicing or towing a disabled vehicle, stationary waste collection vehicles actively collecting garbage, refuse, trash, or recyclable materials on the roadside, rural mail delivery vehicles, vehicles as provided in section 4513.182 of the Revised Code, highway maintenance vehicles, and similar equipment operated by the department or local authorities, provided such vehicles are equipped with and display, when used on a street or highway for the special purpose necessitating such lights, a flashing, oscillating, or rotating amber light;
(b) Vehicles or machinery permitted by section 4513.111 of the Revised Code to have a flashing red light;
(c) Farm machinery and vehicles escorting farm machinery, provided such machinery and vehicles are equipped with and display, when used on a street or highway, a flashing, oscillating, or rotating amber light. Farm machinery also may display the lights described in section 4513.111 of the Revised Code.
(d) A funeral hearse or funeral escort vehicle, provided that the funeral hearse or funeral escort vehicle is equipped with and displays, when used on a street or highway for the special purpose necessitating such lights, a flashing, oscillating, or rotating purple or amber light.
(3) Division (C)(1) of this section does not apply to animal-drawn vehicles subject to section 4513.114 of the Revised Code.
(D)(1) Except a person operating a public safety vehicle, as defined in division (E) of section 4511.01 of the Revised Code, or a school bus, no person shall operate, move, or park upon, or permit to stand within the right-of-way of any public street or highway any vehicle or equipment that is equipped with and displaying a flashing red or a flashing combination red and white light, or an oscillating or rotating red light, or a combination red and white oscillating or rotating light.
(2) Except a public law enforcement officer, or other person sworn to enforce the criminal and traffic laws of the state, operating a public safety vehicle when on duty, no person shall operate, move, or park upon, or permit to stand within the right-of-way of any street or highway any vehicle or equipment that is equipped with, or upon which is mounted, and displaying a flashing blue or a flashing combination blue and white light, or an oscillating or rotating blue light, or a combination blue and white oscillating or rotating light.
(E) This section does not prohibit the use of warning lights required by law or the simultaneous flashing of turn signals on disabled vehicles or on vehicles being operated in unfavorable atmospheric conditions in order to enhance their visibility. This section also does not prohibit the simultaneous flashing of turn signals or warning lights either on farm machinery or vehicles escorting farm machinery, when used on a street or highway.
(F) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
The Legislative Service Commission presents the text of this section as a composite of the section as amended by multiple acts of the General Assembly. This presentation recognizes the principle stated in R.C. 1.52(B) that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation.
Last updated July 26, 2022 at 3:44 PM

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