Florence PD: Wipers on, headlights on – it’s the law  

FLORENCE – The Florence Police Department is reminding motorists that it is state law to have the vehicle’s headlights on when driving in the rain.  

In a social media post, the department cited AL 32-5-29 which states headlights are required to be in use from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, anytime windshield wipers are in non-intermittent use due to rain, sleet, or snow and anytime there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet.

Speaking to 256 Today, Officer Joshua Meza said it can be an easy thing to forget if a driver is in an older model car.

“I think a lot of drivers can forget, especially if they don’t have automatic headlights,” he said. “A lot of cars nowadays will have those but the older model cars you have to manually turn on your headlights, so it’s easy to forget to turn them on when you’re driving through the day.” 

Meza said it’s not only drivers who are safer.  

“Headlamps make it safer for drivers on the road and pedestrians, especially when it starts raining hard,” said Meza. “I would definitely urge all drivers to have on their headlights when it’s raining and in all low-visibility situations.”  

The Florence Police Department posted:  

Due to the increase of rain this week and more rain to come, we will highlight a traffic law that can help you safely drive when it is raining. In Alabama, drivers are required to have their headlights on when windshield wipers are in use because of rain, sleet, or snow, except when the use is intermittent because of misting rain, sleet, or snow. 

AL 32-5-29 says the following in regards to headlights: 

When lighted headlamps required:

(1) Every vehicle upon a highway within this state, except a parked vehicle, which shall be subject to Section 32-5-244, shall display lighted lamps and illuminating devices required by this section for different classes of vehicles at the following times:

1. From a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise.
2. At any time when the windshield wipers of the vehicle are in use because of rain, sleet, or snow, except when the use is intermittent because of misting rain, sleet, or snow.
3. At any time when there is not sufficient light to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet.

According to the Alabama law, motorists can be pulled over and given a ticket if their headlights aren’t on when the windshield wipers are in use.

Alabama is one of 18 states that require drivers to turn on their headlights when their windshield wipers are on.