Bright Blue LED Headlights-Legal in Missouri?
You're driving down the road after it gets dark and you notice a vehicle approaching you with bright blue headlights. Do you feel like they're almost blinding you when you approach them? It may look cool but it could cause you a problem when it comes time to pass your Missouri vehicle inspection.
For a lot of cars and their owners, it's one one the new fads. Bright Blue LED headlights. You've probably noticed them on a few cars or trucks at night, but actually they're against the law. That's probably why they're becoming so popular.
In a story from KY3.com:
"Missouri law requires headlights to be predominantly white. It’s written this way in the Missouri statutes: “headlamps, when lighted, shall exhibit lights substantially white in color.”
According to Sergeant Michael McClure of the Missouri State Highway Patrol." I get it. It’s neat. It’s trendy. It’s pretty. It’s different. It sets your vehicle apart from other vehicles. But, it’s still against the law.”
The story from KY3.com goes on to say some of the newer cars do put the LED bulbs into vehicles, so when they're shipped, they might have a blue tint but you can definitely tell the difference between the lightly tinted blue and all out bright blue LED bulbs.
If a person decides to make this change, the vehicle won’t pass a state of Missouri inspection. So obviously it's a waste of money. You'll have the cost of the new LED bright blue bulbs, the cost of the initial Missouri vehicle inspection, then the new purchase of correct bulbs that will pass inspection, (that is if you didn't keep the old bulbs that were taken out) and then the time wasted to go back to get the vehicle re-inspected so it will pass.
MSHP Sergeant McClure went on to say the law is in place for safety. White is the color we’re used to seeing. It also enhances the white and yellow lines on the road.