Christmas time is here and it’s known for its lights, decorations and festive spirit. People decorate their homes, trees, streets, and even their cars. However, in Florida, authorities have implemented a law that prohibits Christmas lights on vehicles. This is done to protect drivers and avoid traffic accidents, but it has made many people concerned due to fines and sanctions. So, let’s explain a bit more about this situation.
Why Christmas lights are dangerous on vehicles
Decorating your car with Christmas lights might seem harmless and fun, but it’s actually dangerous and (in some places) illegal. The law in Florida focuses on road safety and the main reasons for this are:
- Avoiding confusion with emergency vehicles: ambulances, police cars, and fire trucks use flashing lights to alert drivers of emergencies. A car with bright or flashing Christmas lights can be confusing because people can mistake it for an emergency vehicle, causing other drivers to brake suddenly or make unsafe maneuvers.
- Keeping traffic signals clear: this is important so drivers can easily tell when a car is slowing down, turning, or using hazard lights. So, if we add extra lights, drivers will be confused and the risks of accidents will increase.
- Preventing distraction and glare: bright colored lights not normally seen on cars can distract other drivers or create glare, which can make it harder to see the road and increase the chance of accidents.
Florida wants every driver to focus on the road and be safe, and that’s why these rules are now very strict.
Christmas and the House Bill 253 of Florida
The House Bill 253 of Florida establishes important changes about vehicle lights and license plates, but we are going to tell you the key points about them:
- Lights on cars: any lights that are not standard, including decorative or Christmas lights, strobe lights, or lights that look like police lights, are now illegal.
- Penalties: violating this law is serious. What used to be a minor equipment violation can now be a criminal misdemeanor. Drivers could face fines of up to $5,000 and even have a permanent criminal record in some cases.
- License plates: the law also applies to license plates. Altering, covering, or obstructing plates is illegal. This includes: using frames that hide numbers, having dirty or unreadable plates, and changing temporary plates or validation stickers.
You should know that breaking these rules is treated as a second-degree misdemeanor, which can lead to consequences that may stay with you for a long time. Nobody wants to experience this, right?
How to prepare for Christmas in Florida
With the beginning of Christmas, Florida drivers must plan very carefully. Decorating your car with Christmas lights, no matter how fun it seems, is now considered dangerous and illegal. So, the best thing to do is to use those Christmas lights to decorate your home, tree, or the garden.
Sure, these measures might seem strict, but the law aims to avoid traffic accidents caused by distractions or confusions. Just by following the rules, we all make sure we all have a safe Christmas.
To sum up
Don’t worry because the Christmas spirit won’t be taken away if people follow these rules, it simply helps keep you and others safe on the road. I mean, you can still enjoy decorating and celebrating this season by keeping your festive lights everywhere you want, but not your car, please. The perfect spot is somewhere everyone can enjoy them safely.
It would be nice to have a 0-traffic-accident Christmas this year, right? This could be nearly possible if we all follow the rules implemented in every state. Do you think it’s an exaggerated measure and people should be allowed to share their Christmas spirit by decorating their cars? Or do you agree with what Florida has done?