(a) Every vehicle upon a highway within this state shall display such lighted lamps and illuminating devices as may be required under the provisions of sections
14-96a to
14-96aa, inclusive, (1) at any time from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise, (2) at any time when, due to insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions, persons and vehicles on the highway are not clearly discernible at a distance of five hundred feet ahead, and (3) at any time during periods of precipitation, including, but not limited to, periods of snow, rain or fog.
(b) Whenever in said sections any requirement is declared as to distance from which certain lamps and devices shall render objects visible or within which such lamps or devices shall be visible, such requirement shall apply during the times stated in subsection (a) of this section in respect to a vehicle without load when upon a straight, level, unlighted highway under normal atmospheric conditions unless a different time or condition is expressly stated.
(c) Whenever in said sections any requirement is declared as to the mounted height of lamps or devices, such requirement shall mean the height measured from the center of such lamps or devices to the level ground upon which the vehicle stands when such vehicle is without a load.
(d) Failure to provide lighted lamps and illuminating devices at such time as required by this section shall be an infraction.
(1967, P.A. 834, S. 1, 2; P.A. 75-577, S. 27, 126; P.A. 87-230; P.A. 90-4; P.A. 05-288, S. 58.)
History: P.A. 75-577 added Subsec. (d); P.A. 87-230 amended Subsec. (a) to clarify that “unfavorable atmospheric conditions” include, but are not limited to, periods of snow, rain or fog; P.A. 90-4 rearranged Subsec. (a) dividing it into subdivisions, and added new language clarifying requirement re display of headlights during periods of precipitation; P.A. 05-288 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective July 13, 2005.
Cited. 216 C. 172.
Cited. 30 CA 917; 45 CA 165; Id., 722.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
8
cases, 1989–2009 · leading case:
State v. Burnell, 966 A.2d 168 (Conn. 2009).
State v. Burnell, 966 A.2d 168 (Conn. 2009).
· cites it 3× “The state charged the defendant in a two part information with driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor in violation of § 14-227a, 6 and failure to display lights in violation of General Statutes § 14-96a (a). Subsequently, the department of motor vehicles…”
State v. Lamme, 579 A.2d 484 (Conn. 1990).
· cites it 2× “Because the failure to display lighted headlights while on a public highway at night is an infraction; see General Statutes § 14-96a (d); 4 Savarese stopped the defendant’s car.”
State v. Lipscomb, 779 A.2d 88 (Conn. 2001).
· cites it 2× “2d 484 (1990) (after hearing police broadcast describing vehicle driven by intoxicated individual, officer was justified in stopping vehicle that matched description driving without its headlights illuminated in violation of General Statutes § 14-96a [d]); State v. Januszewski,…”
State v. Donahue, 742 A.2d 775 (Conn. 1999).
· cites it 2× “175 (after hearing police broadcast describing vehicle driven by intoxicated individual, officer was justified in stopping car that matched description driving without its headlights illuminated in violation of General Statutes § 14-96a [d]); State v. Januszewski, 182 Com.”
State v. Gordon, 854 A.2d 74 (Conn. App. Ct. 2004).
· cites it 2× “2d 484 (1990) (police made valid investigatory stop when defendant driving without headlights at night in violation of General Statutes § 14-96a); State v. Donahue, 251 Conn.”
State v. Trahan, 697 A.2d 1153 (Conn. App. Ct. 1997).
· cites it 2× “On November 24,1990, the defendant was issued a summons charging him with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs in violation of General Statutes § 14-227a and failure to display proper lighted lamps and illuminating devices in…”
Ferreira v. Pisaturo, 574 A.2d 1324 (Conn. Super. Ct. 1989).
“No such vehicle shall be operated upon or across any highway during the times when lights are required as specified in section 14-96a of the general statutes unless it displays the lighted lamps required by sections 14-96b and 14-96c of the general statutes.”
State v. Daniels, 621 A.2d 329 (Conn. App. Ct. 1993).
· cites it 2× “The defendant appeals from the judgment of conviction of one count of failure to display lights in violation of General Statutes § 14-96a (a) and one count of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor in violation of General Statutes § 14-227a.”
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