Is there a law or regulation that requires you to have illuminated side markers at night? Like those on our RX8's? I had an idea to wire the side marker lights to the turn signal lights, but I believe that would cause them to illuminate only when turn signals or hazards are on!

So I'm asking, will this be an open invitation for the police to pull me over?

For those who have an answer, and may feel that it is common sense... excuse my ignorance!

 

www.google.com is our friend

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/...te/806430.html

 

Does it matter what color they are? It seems that everyone is changing to clear.

 

Everyone speeds, but it is still illegal. The question is: do the police care?

 

I researched this a couple of weeks ago...this is for Texas, but I imagine similar laws exist in other states:

§ 547.324. TURN SIGNAL LAMPS REQUIRED. (a) Except as
provided by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer,
or pole trailer shall be equipped with electric turn signal lamps
that indicate the operator's intent to turn by displaying flashing
lights to the front and rear of a vehicle or combination of vehicles
and on that side of the vehicle or combination toward which the turn
is to be made.
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a passenger car or
truck less than 80 inches wide manufactured or assembled before the
model year 1960.
(c) Turn signal lamps:
(1) shall be mounted at the same level and spaced as
widely apart as practicable on the front and on the rear of the
vehicle; and
(2) may be included as a part of another lamp on the
vehicle.
(d) A turn signal lamp shall emit:
(1) a white or amber light, or a color between white
and amber, if the lamp is mounted on the front of the vehicle; or
(2) a red or amber light, or a color between red and
amber, if the lamp is mounted on the rear of the vehicle.
(e) A turn signal lamp must be visible in normal sunlight at
a distance of:
(1) at least 500 feet from the front and rear of the
vehicle if the vehicle is at least 80 inches wide; and
(2) at least 300 feet from the front and rear of the
vehicle if the vehicle is less than 80 inches wide.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.


So, as you can see, it requires that the lamp "emit" a white or amber light...not that the lense be amber. So a yellow bulb behind clear lense or white bulb behind yellow lense ought to be equivalent. I'm not a lawyer and the above is not legal advice.