Onceaneagle
Well-Known Member
It does. Thanks very much.Well, the honest answer is there are laws prohibiting or warning of every item you can buy. From everything you come in contact with causing cancer, to where you can and can't use something.
So the short answer is this. Every state has different laws when it comes to ANY lights. So we can't break them all down.
The simple answer is most any light you buy anywhere is considered an "Offroad" light. That doesn't mean you aren't allowed to use them or have them installed. It means common sense. You can't use them to blind other drivers.
Lights from the factory are certified "DOT" approved. "Department of transportation".
Aftermarket lights can either be certified or not certified. If they aren't already on the vehicle preproduction, they are certified "SAE" or "Society of Automotive Excellence".
So technically that tells you that you are allowed to use them "in traffic".
It isn't that you aren't allowed to have certain ones ON your vehicle. It's that "Offroad" means USE. Not installed.
Thats where it can get very grey. Because some states say SAE or not, you can't use more than 4 lights in the front and 2 in the back. Others say you can have as many on the vehicle as you want but other than headlights, they have to have snap on covers when you're on the road.
So to make it very simple. We don't offer legal advice. You have to follow you're own starts laws.
However. I can say that I have seen a lot of people put a lot of lights on their vehicles and no one has been arrested that I know of. At least not for being courteous to others on the road at the very least. Laser pointers aren't illegal either but it is illegal to point them at aircraft.
Just trying to make some analogies.
So there are a couple states like PA and Maybe MA that require snap on covers. And they would just say at inspections done annually. If you don't have covers, you need to get them to get certified.
Most states don't have inspections and don't really care.
If aiming bright offroad lights at someone driving down the road. I think the worst thing would be you get a ticket in 99% of the cases.
These aren't that kind of light anyway.
Again, I can't and am not providing legal advice. So if you are really concerned. Check your local state laws and search the internet for details and experiences on your state.
Our site does state that aftermarket lights are considered offroad lights.
Now on the 4 backup lights here.
What is important is the light focus and Aim.
The Rigid SRL models are a wide spreader pattern. They aim wide and LOW. So they wouldn't aim up at another vehicle when on or backing up. So these are good safe courteous lights.
The Baja S1 and S2 lights are called "Wide Cornering" so they are basically similar in that way.
Both should be safe as far as if you wanted to have the automatic backup trigger (tail light adapter)
The one out of this mix that IS NOT fanned out low are the Diode Dynamics. They are called a flood. But they are a diffused pattern. Meaning the light goes UP, DOWN, LEFT, Right EVERYWHERE.
So if concerned. You would just stay away from those on the automatic trigger.
In any case. You can always just do the option to switches. This way you can turn them on and off manually when wanted. Such as to see behind you or to hook up a trailer.
Someone mentioned putting in brighter bulbs in the tail lights. Well you cant do that. Primarily because they are LED's and sealed. However, if you could. Those upgraded bulbs wouldn't be street legal either. So its tit for tat if that makes sense.
I've personally had them on my trucks for years with automatic triggers and never had any issues.
On the stolen thing. Hmm. Thats really tough. Its as easy as someone wants it to be. I have seen catalytic converters stolen and cut off vehicles on parking lots in less than 5 minutes.
I have seen tailgates stolen from trucks in 1 minute.
If a thief wants them. They will get them. Just as easily as they will get your 4 wheels and tires, or tail lights. ETC. To be honest. There is a bigger aftermarket for factory headlights and tail lights (because they are proprietary). So 1 tail light would cost you $2000 from Ford.
That said. The harder you make something to steal. The more damage they will do with a saw.
They bolt on with stainless steel hardware and are tucked up tight. So they aren't any easier to steal than anything else really on the truck.
Hope this helps.
John
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