The Equipment Stop
75 Pa.C.S. 4302 — sunset to sunrise, 1,000 feet, and whenever the wipers are in use
The operator of a vehicle on a highway displays the lighted head lamps and other lamps the chapter requires at these times.
- Between sunset and sunrise.
- Any time the operator cannot discern a person or vehicle upon the highway from a distance of 1,000 feet due to insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions, including rain, snow, sleet, hail, fog, smoke or smog.
- Any time the windshield wipers are in continuous or intermittent use due to precipitation or atmospheric moisture, including rain, snow, sleet or mist.
Motorcycles. The section does not apply to motorcycles.
The rear lighting system. Every vehicle operated on a highway is equipped with a rear lighting system, including rear lamps, rear reflectors, stop lamps and a license plate light, in conformance with the department's regulations. The section itself sets no distances for those lamps; it points to the department's regulations.
Off road lamps. Off road lighting lamps mounted on a roof or roll bar are covered with an opaque covering while the vehicle is operated on a highway. Illuminating one there is a summary offense with a fine of $100.
Other equipment the code requires, from brakes to mirrors, is set out in other sections that are not on this page. Whether a lamp was out, or the conditions called for lights, is a question of fact, and whether a stop on that basis was lawful is a question for a licensed Pennsylvania attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- 75 Pa.C.S. 4302 — Periods for requiring lighted lamps
- 75 Pa.C.S. 4303 — General lighting requirements, and off road lamps
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Pennsylvania attorney.