When Are You Legally Required To Use Your Headlights In Michigan?

Yesterday night, it was incredibly foggy in Grand Rapids, specifically downtown.

With all of this fog, you would think it would be common sense to have your headlights on. It was not common sense for this one driver.

Seeing as though this person did not know the law, I figured let me educate the masses.

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When Are You Legally Required To Use Your Headlights In Michigan?

Michigan Motor Vehicle Code explains it all for you about when you have to turn your headlights on.

"257.684: “half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise and at any other time when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead shall display lighted lamps and illuminating devices."

In layman's terms, you have to have your headlights on from dusk till dawn, or simply during conditions like fog, heavy rain or snow, etc.

Many law enforcement agencies encourage all drivers to have their headlights on at all times.

At the bare minimum, you should have your parking lights or fog lights on.

For me, I simply have my headlights in auto, which is a feature a lot of newer cars have so you do not have to worry about turning them on and off.

Michigan law says that all vehicle headlights are required to shine only white or yellow light and must be visible from 500 feet away.

Are Different Color Headlights Legal In Michigan?

For the people with different color headlights, you may want to change them.

Clark Law Office says that,

"Any other color besides white and yellow headlights are not legal in Michigan. Blue and purple high intensity discharge or Xenon lights are almost always illegal not only in Michigan, but federally as well. Simply put, colored headlights are illegal."

You can read up on the Michigan driving laws in the Michigan Legislature.