376. Lamps, signaling devices and reflectors on vehicles. 1. (a) It shall be unlawful to operate, drive or park a vehicle, except a motorcycle operated during the period from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, on any public highway or street in this state at any time during the day or night unless such vehicle is equipped with signaling devices and reflectors of a type approved by the commissioner which are in good working condition; or to operate, drive or park a vehicle, except a motorcycle, on any public highway or street in this state, during the period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise, unless such vehicle is equipped with lamps of a type approved by the commissioner which are lighted and in good working condition; or to operate, drive or park self-propelled agricultural equipment on any public highway or street in this state, during the period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise and during such other times as visibility for a distance of one thousand feet ahead of or behind such agricultural equipment is not clear, unless such agricultural equipment is equipped with lamps of a type approved by the commissioner which are lighted and in good working condition.
(b) The commissioner of motor vehicles is hereby authorized and empowered to promulgate rules and regulations with respect to lamps, reflectors and signaling devices, their number, type, design, construction, location, attachment and use on vehicles being driven, operated or parked on any public highway or street in this state. In promulgating such rules and regulations the commissioner shall be guided by the requirements with regard to lights, reflectors, signaling devices and associated equipment on vehicles of rules and regulations promulgated by the United States department of transportation.
2. Wiring used on commercial vehicles shall be of such size that when all connections are made in an acceptable and workmanlike manner the loss in voltage will not be sufficient to cause a lamp to produce less than the minimum candlepower, under normal operating conditions, when the lamp is in good working order. All wiring should be enclosed in weather proof and abrasion proof cable or conduit except wiring which is completely enclosed within the body of the vehicle.
3. All lights, signals and reflectors shall be of a type and design approved by the commissioner. No light having a candlepower rating in excess of thirty-two candle power shall be used on any vehicle, unless it is of a type approved by the commissioner. The provisions of section three hundred seventy-five of this chapter governing the approval of equipment and the adjustment of headlamps shall apply to the equipment and headlamps required by this section. The commissioner is hereby authorized and empowered to adopt and from time to time amend such regulations not inconsistent with this section, governing the size, type, construction, location, and use of lights, signals and reflectors, including the exemption of specific vehicles from the requirements of this section where the construction of such vehicles makes compliance herewith impracticable, or impossible.
4. All existing provisions of this chapter governing the use of headlamps, front parking lamps and license plate lamps and other lamps, reflectors, lights and directional signals on vehicles shall continue to apply, except to the extent irreconcilably inconsistent with the provisions of this section or regulations promulgated thereunder.
Last modified: February 3, 2019