OK to run fog lights with no fog — but they better be legal

Street Smarts reader Dan Kessler has noted that some vehicles have a second set of lights in the front that are awfully bright.

“I used to have fog lights on my vehicle and they didn’t reach this level of candle power,” he said.

The effect can be blinding. “If you’re either encountering them coming at you or have them behind you, it’s like a plane is getting ready to land.”

This piggybacks off a topic we touched on in the spring about “blue” headlights, or high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Heather Axtman notes that it is legal to drive with your fog lights on even if there’s no fog — as long as they are stock lamps.

“Often times we see the stock fog lamps have been replaced with conversions of HID’s or halogen lights. After-market bulbs are a violation and the vehicle can get stopped by law enforcement,” Axtman said. “Troopers frequently stop vehicles that are in violation of this law.”

Washington State Patrol spokeswoman Melissa Van Gorkom further clarifies that fog lamps should be amber or white in color, and can only be used when low-beam headlamps are being used.

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