Wet weather, headlights and windshield wiper rules
With the wet weather conditions over the last couple of days, The Joplin Police Department felt it was a good time to remind drivers of Missouri’s Windshield Wiper/Headlight rule. In Missouri, headlights are required to be on any time the weather conditions require the use of the vehicle’s windshield wipers. Headlights are also required any time from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise or at any point you cannot see a person or vehicle from a distance of 500 feet. These rules are meant to help improve driving safety. By following simple steps like this, you can do your part in helping to reduce the number of vehicle crashes.
RSMO 307.020:
“When lighted lamps are required” means at any time from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise and at any other time when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the highway at a distance of five hundred feet ahead. Lighted lamps shall also be required any time the weather conditions require usage of the motor vehicle’s windshield wipers to operate the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner as defined in section 304.012. The provisions of this section shall be interpreted to require lighted lamps during periods of fog even if usage of the windshield wipers is not necessary to operate the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner.
304.012. Motorists to exercise highest degree of care — violation, penalty. — 1. Every person operating a motor vehicle on the roads and highways of this state shall drive the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner and at a rate of speed so as not to endanger the property of another or the life or limb of any person and shall exercise the highest degree of care.
- Any person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a class B misdemeanor, unless an accident is involved then it shall be a class A misdemeanor.