Minnesota Session Laws - 2003, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 45-H.F.No. 1268 
                  An act relating to traffic regulations; clarifying 
                  when vehicle lights must be displayed; amending 
                  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 169.48, subdivision 1.
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 169.48, 
        subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
           Subdivision 1.  [LIGHTS TO BE DISPLAYED.] (a) Every vehicle 
        upon a highway within this state: 
           (1) at any time from sunset to sunrise; 
           (2) at any time when it is raining, snowing, sleeting, or 
        hailing; and 
           (3) at any other time when visibility is impaired by 
        weather, smoke, fog or other conditions or 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 headlamps, lighted taillamps, and 
        illuminating devices, as hereinafter, respectively, required for 
        different classes of vehicles, subject to exceptions with 
        respect to parked vehicles and law enforcement vehicles, as 
        hereinafter stated.  In addition to the other requirements of 
        this paragraph, every school bus transporting children upon a 
        highway within this state, at any time from a half-hour before 
        sunrise to a half-hour after sunset, shall display lighted lamps 
        headlamps, lighted taillamps, and illuminating devices as 
        required by this paragraph, except that the operator shall use 
        the lowermost distribution of light specified in section 169.60 
        unless conditions warrant otherwise. 
           (b) When requirement is hereinafter declared as to the 
        distance from which certain lamps and devices shall render 
        objects visible or within which such lamps or devices shall be 
        visible, these provisions shall apply during the time stated in 
        this section upon a straight level unlighted highway under 
        normal atmospheric conditions unless a different time or 
        condition is expressly stated and unless otherwise specified the 
        location of lamps and devices shall refer to the center of such 
        lamps or devices.  Parking lamps shall not be used in lieu of 
        head lamps to satisfy the requirements of this section. 
           [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective the day 
        following final enactment. 
           Presented to the governor May 12, 2003 
           Signed by the governor May 14, 2003, 4:02 p.m.