ASSEMBLY, No. 801

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

 

 

By Assemblywoman FARRAGHER

 

 

An Act requiring the display of lighted lamps on motor vehicles operated on the public highways of this State, and amending R.S.39:3-46.

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. R.S.39:3-46 is amended to read as follows:

            39:3-46. As used in this article, unless the context requires another or different construction:

    "Approved" means approved by the commissioner of motor vehicles and when applied to lamps and other illuminating devices means that such lamps and devices must be in good working order and capable of operating at least 50% of their designed efficiency.

    "Vehicle" means every device in, upon or by which a person or property is or may be transported upon a highway, excepting devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.

    "When lighted lamps are required" means: a. whenever a motor vehicle is being operated upon the public highways of this State or b. in the case of a motor vehicle being operated on a private road, at any time from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise and during any time when, due to rain, smoke, fog, unfavorable atmospheric conditions or for any other cause there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles [on the highway] at a distance of 500 feet ahead.

    "Headlamp" means a major lighting device capable of providing general illumination ahead of a vehicle.

    "Auxiliary driving lamp" means an additional lighting device on a motor vehicle used primarily to supplement the headlamps in providing general illumination ahead of a vehicle.

    "Single beam headlamps" mean headlamps or similar devices arranged so as to permit the driver of the vehicle to use but one distribution of light on the road.

    "Multiple-beam headlamps" mean headlamps or similar devices arranged so as to permit the driver of the vehicle to use one of two or more distributions of light on the road.

    "Asymmetric headlamps" mean headlamps or similar devices arranged so as to permit the driver of the vehicle to use one of several distributions of light on the road, at least one of which is asymmetric about the median vertical axis.

    "Clear road beam" means the beam from multiple-beam headlamps designed to be used when not approaching other vehicles and designed to provide sufficient candlepower ahead to reveal obstacles at a safe distance ahead under ordinary conditions of road contour and of vehicle loading.

    "Meeting beam" means the beam from multiple beam or asymmetric headlamps designed to be used when other vehicles are approaching within 500 feet or when signalled and designed so that the illumination on the left side of the road is reduced sufficiently to avoid dangerous glare for the approaching driver.

    "Lower beam" means the beam from multiple beam or asymmetric headlamps designed to be directed low enough to avoid dangerous glare on both sides of the roadway.

    "Reflector" means an approved device designed and used to give an indication by reflected light.

(cf: P.L. 1983, c.285, s.1)

 

    2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month following enactment.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill, by revising the definition of "when lighted lamps are required" in R.S. 39:3-46, would require motor vehicle operators to turn on their headlights whenever they are driving on the public highways of this State.

    Under current law, motorists are required to turn on their headlights (1) during the period beginning at one half-hour after sunset to one half-hour before sunrise and (2) whenever, due to rain, smoke, fog, unfavorable atmospheric conditions or for any other cause, there is not sufficient light to clearly discern persons or vehicles at a distance of 500 feet. This current requirement would remain in effect for vehicles being operated on private roads.


 

Requires motor vehicle operators to have headlights on when driving on public roads.