39:3-46 Definitions relative to illuminating devices.

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

"Approved" means approved by the commission 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 at any time from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise; whenever rain, mist, snow or other precipitation or atmospheric moisture requires the use of windshield wipers by motorists; and during any time when, due to 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" means 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" means 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" means 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 signaled 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.

Amended 1983, c.285; 1995, c.305, s.1; 2003, c.13, s.104.