Some newer cars come equipped with under-glow neon lights. The state of Alabama outlaws the use of these lights. Three sections of Alabama state code address the issue of neon lights: Section 32-5-240, Section 32-5-241 and Section 32-5-252. In December 1994, the attorney general of Alabama decided that neon lights on vehicles were a violation of these sections of code.
Section 32-5-240
Section 32-5-240 of Alabama state code states that "whenever motor vehicles or other vehicles are operated in combination during a time that lamps and illuminating devices are required to be lighted, any lamp, other than a tail lamp, that, by reason of its location on a vehicle in the combination would be obscured by another vehicle of the combination, need not be lighted." This means that lights other than headlights may not be used after dark. The Attorney General of Alabama considers neon lights to be prohibited after dark for this reason.
Section 32-5-241
Section 32-5-241 lists exceptions to the ban on extra lights mentioned in the previous section. Turn signals, high beams and brake lights are permitted under this section. Neon lights are not mentioned. Thus, the Attorney General concluded that this section of law supports the prohibition on neon lights.
Section 32-5-252
Section 32-5-252 allows the Director of Public Safety to approve lighting on vehicles. The Director has not made an exception for neon lights. Thus, neon lights are prohibited under this section of code as well.
Read More: Alabama Car Title Laws
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Writer Bio
Jack Ori has been a writer since 2009. He has worked with clients in the legal, financial and nonprofit industries, as well as contributed self-help articles to various publications.