Avoid a DUI—Fix Your Lights

Orange County DUI Attorney Tips

Law Offices of EJ Stopyro

(949) 559-5500

Any DUI lawyer in Orange County will tell you that when the cops are on patrol and looking to arrest drunk drivers they must have probable cause to believe that you have broken the law before they can stop you. They cannot just pull you over on a hunch—they must first observe a law violation. Once they see a vehicle code violation, they can lawfully pull you over.

A very commonly used reason for law enforcement to stop you to check to see if you are driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) is that one of the lights on the car they stopped wasn’t working properly. California Vehicle Code Section 24252(a) states: “All lighting equipment of a required type installed on a vehicle shall at all times be maintained in good working order…”.

This means that if any of the lights on your car, including brake lights, license plate lamps, turn signals, tail lights, parking lights and headlights aren’t “in good working order”, then the police have legal justification to pull you over and possibly conduct a DUI investigation. If you have been drinking alcohol and you get pulled over, you can count on being the subject of a DUI investigation and possibly being arrested for DUI. If you are, don’t answer any questions without calling the Law Offices of EJ Stopyro first.

So what does it mean, exactly, to keep your lights in “good working order”? Well, there are at least two cases that deal with this law. One 9^th Circuit case held that a two-inch crack in your taillight cover constitutes a violation and constitutes probable cause to stop you. A 4^th District, California Court of Appeal case held that if you voluntarily add a supplemental stop light (a third stop lamp mounted in the rear of your car which is not required), then you must also maintain that lamp in good working order. If you don’t, then the cops can stop you.

So it’s important to keep ALL your lights in good working order. If you don’t give the police a reason to stop you then you wont have to call an Orange County DUI lawyer to defend you against DUI charges. If you have been arrested for a DUI then call the Law Offices of EJ Stopyro today for a free telephonic consultation.

Law Offices of EJ Stopyro

Orange County DUILawyer