During winter, there is often a chance of snow showers and large amounts of snow or ice on the streets throughout the country. Beautiful to look at, but less enjoyable for everyone who needs to hit the road. In addition to scraping the windows and clearing the road of snow, it is also important to, before hitting the road, clear the LED rear lights from snow and ice. To avoid expensive fines, we have listed below all the fines you risk when going on the road unprepared in winter weather.
Snow or ice on your rear lights?
When you hit the road and your vehicle's LED taillights are still covered with ice or snow, you risk accidents or a fine. Especially if your vehicle is equipped with LED lighting, it's essential to clear the lights of ice and snow before you start driving. The glass of LED taillights remains cold while driving, so snow and ice won't melt on their own due to the light's heat (or rather, lack thereof). Vehicles with halogen lighting don't face this issue in extreme weather conditions because they generate heat. However, regardless of your lighting type, TRALERT® recommends being cautious and checking your lights before driving, ensuring they are ice- and snow-free.
Is it raining or snowing? Make sure your LED lights are on!
Is it raining or snowing? Is it gloomy or grey outside, causing poor visibility? Make sure your LED taillights are on. Avoid using high beam or low beam during poor visibility to prevent a fine of up to €160 in the worst case. Inadequate taillights during poor visibility can result in a fine of €140. If you forget to turn on your lights during poor visibility, you might receive a fine of €160. It's never pleasant for you and perhaps not for your employer. Investing in a good set of LED taillights can save you from these issues. Right?
In the following situations, turn off the LED taillights...
In case of bad weather, you might think it's important to turn on the lighting of your vehicle. However, this is not always the case. When using LED taillights, pay attention to the following:
unnecessarily using the rear fog light can result in a fine of €140 euros. Using a fog light can cost you €95 euros. The front fog light may only be used when visibility is seriously impaired by fog, snowfall, or rain. The rear fog light can only be used in case of fog or snowfall, reducing visibility to less than 50 meters. If you forget to turn off the high beam and thereby obstruct oncoming traffic, this can cost you €140 euros.
A visible licence plate starts with good lighting
When heading out during winter days, it is especially important to keep your vehicle's license plate clearly readable. It is also wise to check the windows and mirrors, which should be clearly visible and not covered by a layer of snow. The fine for unclear or unusable license plates is €45. If a plate is missing or completely unreadable, the fine can go up to €140. Another tool to make the license plate more visible is adding LED license plate lighting to the vehicle. With the help of lighting, the license plate becomes much more visible, regardless of the weather conditions.
Don't risk fines, prepare well for winter weather
Proper preparation is half the battle. When you read the above article carefully, you can avoid multiple fines and save a lot of money. The total amount of the mentioned violations adds up to: €1260 euros. Therefore, make sure your vehicle is equipped with the right LED lighting.
Do you have questions about how to best equip your vehicle for winter weather? Our specialists are ready to guide you through the cold winter months. With their help, you can select the right LED taillights and/or license plate lighting for your vehicle.
Source: Algemeen Dagblad, 2021.
