You Might Be Ticketed If You Don’t Know Michigan’s Headlight Laws
Do you know exactly when it is legally required to have your headlights on while driving in Michigan?
There is some common sense to this. Obviously, when it is completely dark at night, you will quickly be pulled over and possibly ticketed if a police officer sees that you don't have your headlights on. But what does the law say about other situations?
Here is part of the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code about when you have to put 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”
So in other words, you must have headlights on from dusk to dawn, or during conditions like fog, heavy rain or snow, etc.
Many law enforcement agencies encourage drivers to always have them on or at least your parking lights or fog lights. Headlights don't just help you see better as a driver, but also help others see you.
A helpful aspect to this is that many newer cars have lights that automatically come on during dark conditions.