It’s Dark, It’s Raining, And You Are Doing What?

It is raining at 8 am, and dark enough for the street lights to be on. Visibility is ok, but not great and you are driving without your headlights on.

With the rain, we had this morning (September 26, 2018) I was surprised to see about 2 dozen cars driving without their lights between 42nd and University and 82nd and Quaker.

It was extremely difficult to see certain people, and with the rain and slower drivers, this was dangerous. But is it illegal?

Nope, it is not.

According to TxDOT:

All motor vehicles must have 2 working headlights that shine white in color. Do not install any features that may obstruct the headlight such as a cover or grill.

Turn on your headlights from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, or anytime when visibility is less than 1,000 feet.

So unlike some states, like Florida, that make you turn your headlights on when it is raining, as long as you can see 1,000 feet in front of you and it is 30 minutes after sunrise, you are legal.

Not safe, but legal.

But TxDOT offers tips for driving in heavy rain:

Tips for Driving in Heavy Rain/Flood-Prone Areas

• Be cautious when traveling through flood-prone areas. Flash floods can come rapidly and unexpectedly—within a few minutes or hours of excessive rainfall. Flash flooding is common in many areas of Texas, especially the Texas Hill Country.

• Turn on your headlights and slow down, allowing extra distance for braking.

• Never attempt to drive through flooded roadways. Water covering roadways may hide washed-out bridges or gouged-out roadbeds, and even in relatively shallow water, tires can act as flotation devices, lifting up big vehicles and sending them downstream. It takes only two feet of water to float a 3,000-pound car.

But the best bet is to turn those headlights on when it is raining for safety!