Fine for not turning on low beams

What is the traffic police fine for driving without lights?

Many drivers have encountered the fact that they were stopped by a traffic police officer and began to issue a fine for not having their headlights on during the day. Poor knowledge of the rules on the part of the motorist leads to a conflict situation and can have completely unpleasant consequences.

The traffic rules clearly state that operating a vehicle without switched off (missing) lighting devices will result in a fine for the driver. This rule does not apply to unincluded dimensions located at the rear. In general, if you do not want to pay a certain amount of money towards a fine, let's discuss the rules together and find out who gets paid and in what amount.

What changes have been made to the current legislation?

Amendments on this issue were made to the legislation in the fall of 2010. According to the new rules, regardless of external circumstances, daytime running lights must always be on. The adoption of such a decision was stipulated by the fact that vehicles with lighting devices turned on are more visible on the highway to others, including other participants. Thus, officials proposed to combat the increased level of accident danger on domestic roads. In practice, the law has been confirmed, since the number of accidents has actually decreased.

Among the shortcomings, it can be noted that not all drivers carefully follow the current rules. To eliminate such a possibility, appropriate measures can be taken against the offender. Detailed information about liability on this issue is provided in Art. 12.20 Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.

Under what circumstances can drivers be fined?

The only way to avoid penalties is to drive lights around the clock. When the requirement is fulfilled, the traffic police inspector does not have the right to stop and issue a fine for the violation. Failure to comply with current traffic regulations makes the driver automatically a violator. There are circumstances when punishment will definitely be imposed. Let's present the data in the form of a table:

Is it possible to drive without headlights day and night and what is the fine?

Without low beam headlights

Driving without headlights can be simply a desire or a necessity for various reasons: an accident occurred and the light device was damaged, a lamp burned out, the head light simply became faulty. All these conditions create, in some cases, traffic violations. But what are these situations? In the article we will look at when you can drive without low or high beams on during the day and at night in 2019, what the fine is for this, and when driving is allowed without other lighting devices, including dimensions.

Is it possible to drive without the lights on during the day?

It is forbidden. And the point here is not a lack of lamps or a malfunction of the head light. Traffic regulations directly prohibit driving at least without daytime running lights. However, let's consider all situations!

If you just forgot to turn it on

It is forbidden. Clauses 19.4 and 19.5 of the Rules collectively say that during daylight hours all vehicles must have the following on:

So, during the daytime, your car should have at least some kind of light on the front.

If a light bulb burns out

In this case, you are also prohibited from driving, but here we are talking about a malfunction of the light device, and the traffic rules have a separate rule in this regard. So, if you drive without bulbs in your headlights during the day, or the bulbs are burned out, then this falls under the list of malfunctions for which the operation of the vehicle is prohibited.

Clause 3.3 of the List prescribes the following:

3.3. External lighting devices and reflectors do not work in the prescribed mode

But paragraph 2.3.1 of the Rules indicates that if a malfunction occurs along the way, referring to this List, the driver can drive to a parking lot or to a car service center.

If there are no headlights after an accident

If the headlight is completely missing, then in this case clause 3.1 of the List of Faults is violated, namely one of its conditions prohibits driving the car both day and night:

3.1. The number , type, color, location and operating mode of external lighting devices do not meet the requirements of the vehicle design.

Please note that a violation of the integrity or inoperability of the headlight also violates paragraph 3.3 of the List cited above.

Is it possible to drive without headlights at night?

Also no. Let's look at the differences in driving bans during the day and at night:

if during the day you can use DRLs, then in the dark only low or high beams can be turned on, fog lights also cannot be turned on without them,
During the day, if the headlight or bulb in it malfunctions, you can get to the parking lot or repair site, but at night you cannot, and there will be a fine for this.

The second point is regulated by paragraph 2.3.1 of the traffic rules, which states that in the dark, driving is prohibited if the headlight is not working, and it does not matter which headlight you are driving without - both headlights must work and be turned on.

What's the fine?

Since most of the above standards refer us to the List of Faults, responsibility must be taken precisely for this. And it is provided for by the only punishment in the Code of Administrative Offenses for violation of any of the conditions and malfunctions prohibiting the operation of the vehicle.

Part 1 of Article 12.5 of the Administrative Code provides for a fine of 500 rubles or a warning for this. Penalties are imposed for the following violations of the use of light:

there is no headlight both at night and during the day,
The headlight bulb is burned out or missing.

Art. 12.20 of the Code also prescribes a fine of 500 rubles or a warning for violating the use of lighting devices. It is prescribed for the following violations:

you didn't turn on the DRL during the day,
you are driving without lights at night.

This penalty is imposed if the lighting devices are in working order.

If the headlight stops working while on the road

As we have already indicated above, traffic rules allow the possibility of driving to a parking lot or repair site if a malfunction occurs along the way. And before driving, the Rules oblige the driver to check the operation of the car for all the conditions of the List of Faults.

Therefore, if, when stopped by a traffic police inspector, you state that a condition entailing a violation arose along the way, and you proceed to the place where you can eliminate the deficiency, then it is unlawful to issue a fine.

But if you are driving without a headlight at night, then in any case the fine is legal, since in the dark it is forbidden to continue driving without low beam working in the established mode. In this case, according to the letter of the law in 2019, you are obliged to call a tow truck or have the car towed.

In addition, this provision with a fine for driving without low beams applies not only to the dark, but also to conditions of insufficient visibility: fog, rain, snow and other conditions with road visibility of less than 300 meters.

Is it possible to drive without dimensions?

Only possible during the day. The rules do not directly prohibit driving without side lights in the daytime, but at night this is prohibited by paragraph 2.3.1 of the traffic rules.

Moreover, at night, traffic regulations require at least low beams to be turned on. And by design, on all cars it turns on only when the dimensions are turned on. Therefore, you won’t be able to travel without them. And if the latter are faulty, then in the dark you will be fined 500 rubles, and movement to the parking lot or repair site is prohibited.

Penalty for driving without daytime running lights

Traffic regulations prohibit the operation of a vehicle with no lights or no lights. This prohibition also applies to side lights located at the rear that are not turned on.

If such a violation is identified by the traffic inspector, the driver will be fined for not turning on the low beams.

Innovations in traffic rules

Changes to the traffic regulations concerning the specifics of the use of lighting devices were implemented on November 20, 2010.

Now, regardless of the time of day and visibility conditions, the low beams must be turned on. The need to adopt such amendments to the traffic rules was due to the fact that a vehicle with its lights on is more visible to others, therefore the number of accidents due to simple inattention is reduced to a minimum. It should be noted that the expected trend was confirmed in practice and the number of accidents during the daytime decreased.

However, many drivers do not comply with generally accepted requirements. The reason for this state of affairs may be simple inattention, a technical malfunction or another reason. However, regardless of this, in case of an offense the driver may be punished. The penalty is determined by Article 12.20 of the Code of Administrative Offences.

When can a driver be issued a fine?

To avoid a fine for incorrect use of lighting devices, the driver must drive with the headlights on for twenty-four hours a day. If this condition is not met, then the driver will have to find out what the fine is for not turning on the low beam. Violation of the rules for operating a vehicle will lead to the fact that in the event of an accident, both participants will be found to be at fault. Even if only one of them is the actual offender. The reason for such a decision may be a non-working headlight.

A fine for improper use of low beams can be issued for various reasons. Below are the most popular options for imposing penalties:

Using high beams in populated areas.
Incorrect use of the rear fog lamp.
Using running lights at night.
The low beam is turned off during the day.

1) Using high beams in a populated area

When entering a populated area or simply onto a well-lit street, the driver must switch the high beam headlights to low beam . Otherwise, a fine will be imposed on him.

2) Incorrect use of the rear fog lamp

The rear fog light is an additional lighting device that can only be used in low visibility conditions. In another scenario, this will be treated as an offense with further sanctions.

3) Using navigation lights at night

In vehicles equipped with running lights, low beam must be used . In this case, daytime running lights must be installed in accordance with all GOST requirements. This refers to their territorial location. The characteristics of light are also taken into account. The correct placement of headlights of this type ensures high-quality illumination of the road surface and does not blind oncoming drivers.

4) Low beam is turned off during the day

Many drivers forget to turn on their low beam headlights when starting to drive during the day. It is very important to activate the lighting devices. Some vehicle models are equipped with an electronic control system that automatically turns on the lighting equipment when the power plant component starts operating.

Features of using standard daytime running lights

The design does not initially provide for daytime running lights on all vehicle models. Independent installation of these lighting elements may ultimately result in the owner of this vehicle being fined. And even if such constructive metamorphoses are not identified during a meeting with a traffic police officer, they will be identified during a routine inspection at a service station. To prevent these actions from being classified as an offense, you must first obtain permission from the relevant authorities to install daytime running lights.

The same brands of cars that have standard installation of daytime running lights can be used by drivers without fear of being fined. Moreover, standard lighting systems are characterized by a special operating mode - they turn on when the engine starts. When you turn on the low beam headlights, the standard daytime running lights also automatically reduce their power and are used as additional dimensions.

Important! When the standard daytime running lights are working, there is no penalty for driving with the lights off.

Features of using fog lights

Fog lights can also be used as daytime running lights. According to paragraph 19.4 of the traffic rules, they are used in conditions of limited visibility. Fog lights can work with low or high beam lights.

In accordance with paragraph 19.5, they can be used in the dark on unlit sections of roads, and also instead of low beam headlights - as an alternative to daytime running lights. This means that driving with fog lights on during the daytime is not an offense, so the question of what the fine for driving them is for drivers loses its relevance.

Punishment

The fine for driving without low beams in 2019 is 500 rubles . This is stated in Art. 12.20 about violation of the rules for using external lighting devices. It is also possible that the driver will get off with a verbal warning. However, provided that the carelessness of the car owner led to an accident, then the amount of the fine will tend to increase.

Fine for a non-working headlight

If one low beam headlight is not on, this also entails a fine. However, the interpretation of this situation may differ slightly from the case described above. Here the driver does not violate the rules for using lighting devices. The subject of the violation in this situation is the requirements of the list of faults, as well as conditions that imply a ban on operating the car.

Given the presence of technical faults, the low beam will still not be turned on. Therefore, in accordance with Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, Part 1, the violator is punished with a fine of 500 rubles due to a non-working or dirty lighting device. An alternative way out of the situation is a verbal warning.

You should pay attention to clause 2.3.1. Traffic regulations, according to which driving with non-working or missing lighting devices at night or in low visibility conditions can be considered an offense.

What's the result?

The fine for a burnt-out low beam bulb is not too high. Despite this, the driver must immediately comply with this rule for operating the vehicle. Working lighting devices make the car more visible on the road, as a result of which the likelihood of an emergency situation is minimized.

Fine for not turning on low beams in 2018

Low beam headlights make the car more visible both day and night. In many cases, this prevents an accident. However, constantly working headlights lead to bulbs burning out, creating additional load on the battery, etc. Therefore, not every driver likes this. But if you know what fine the traffic police impose for not turning on the low beams, then the desire to save on light bulbs will not arise.

What is considered a violation

There are many situations when you need to use low beam:

The violation itself is expressed as follows:

low beam is not on;
Instead, either side lights or high beams work.

What a punishment

Drivers are most interested in the amount of the fine for driving without lights during the day. Therefore, in the future we will talk specifically about these cases.

The size of the sanction is 500 rubles . (Article 12.20 of the Administrative Code).

However, if you do not appeal the decision and pay the fee within 20 days, the amount is automatically reduced to 250 rubles.

And, on the contrary, if you delay payment for more than 70 days, the amount may triple and reach 1,500 rubles . That is, the driver will be additionally fined for delaying the main fine. You will get two protocols: for electricity (500 rubles) and for late payments (1000 rubles).

Warning

When a motorist has no other violations, behaves correctly, and has admitted the violation, the traffic police officer may issue a warning instead of a fine for driving without low beams.

Other sanctions

There are no other measures of influence on the driver: no detention of the car, no impound, no removal from driving, etc.

Low beam substitute

According to road rules, you can drive with fog lights without low beams (clauses 19.4, 19.5 of the traffic rules). You can also use daytime running lights.

It will not be a violation if you turn on the low beam in combination with fog lights and running lights.

But you should know that in some cars the head fog lights are turned on in the same mode as the rear fog lights. This would already be a violation, since the rear ones are used only in unclear weather.

If the headlight doesn't work

When the driver has only one headlight on , the traffic police officer will not assign a fine for driving without the headlights on. But the driver faces punishment for driving with a defect - a monetary sanction in the amount of 500 rubles . (Part 1 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).

If 2 headlights do not function , then there will be an addition of penalties (for light and for breakdown).

Often drivers attach their headlights (running lights, fog lights) abnormally. This will also be a reason for punishment for installing non-structural elements - 500 rubles .

How is a violation recorded?

The issue of imposing a fine for not turning on the low beams is dealt with by traffic police officers from detection to punishment.

As a rule, after identifying a violation on the spot, a resolution on administrative liability is drawn up.

Not in all cases you should agree with the traffic police officer.

You can prove a traffic violation for low beam headlights during the day if:

there are witnesses to the offense;
driving recorded on video;
The driver himself admits his guilt.

Therefore, if no evidence is presented, the driver can safely defend his truth. Such materials are easily challenged in court.

If the fact of a violation is undeniable, one should strive to reduce everything to a warning. That is, do not conflict, talk about driving without a penalty, remind about the possibility of warning, etc.

Why are headlights needed during the day?

There are several reasons why you should turn on a lighting fixture:

Often a traffic police officer stops a driver because the lights are out. And, in addition to a fine for driving without headlights, this becomes a reason to look for other violations;
Of course, this is a security issue. Both the other driver and the pedestrian can see you, which will help you avoid many troubles on the road;
When the lights are on, the instrument panel in the cabin also lights up. Such information is important for the motorist.

Cancel the use of low beam

Recently, changes have often been made to traffic rules, so many drivers have a question: is it necessary to turn on headlights during the day in the city since 2018?

Indeed, the traffic rules have undergone a number of changes, but this did not affect the procedure for using lighting devices. Therefore, all this is from the category of rumors and assumptions.

So far there are no prerequisites for this. The obligation to use headlights during the day has existed for 8 years. And this has only a positive effect.

Perhaps this need will be canceled. To do this, an official document will be published that will contain information from what date you can not turn on the low beam.

Traffic police fines for driving without lights

In any driving school, instructors always say that when getting into a vehicle, you must always turn on the low beam headlights. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in traffic police officers imposing a fine. This article discusses what traffic police fines for driving without lights are provided for in 2018, how to pay such a fine, whether it can be appealed, and also read other useful information on the topic - what fine for not turning on headlights is applied in 2018.

The essence of the offense

Drivers often forget that the need to comply with subclause 19.5 of the Rules is mandatory. If vehicle owners drive frequently, the bulbs may burn out at any time. One way or another, if the low beams are not lit, this can already be considered a violation. Supporters of the innovation focus on safety, because the car becomes more visible both at night and during the day. The essence of the violation is indicated in Article 12.20 of the Administrative Code.

Low beam headlights on a car

Note! If the rules related to the use of external lighting devices are violated, the driver of the vehicle faces a fine for not turning on the headlights in the amount of 500 rubles, or a warning.

From the point of view of legislation, a traffic police officer has every right to independently make a choice in favor of a punishment. It all depends on the specifics of the specific situation and the mood of the inspector. If there is fairly heavy traffic, the driver will still have to pay a fine; it is unlikely that he will be able to get off with a verbal warning.

The use of Article 12.20 of the Administrative Code is permitted in the following situations:

A fine for not turning on the low beams is issued as a result of the car owner's forgetfulness.
Once in a populated area, the driver did not switch to the low beam, continuing to drive with the high beam on.
When it gets dark, the low beam is not turned on due to the fact that the vehicle's running lights are activated.
The owner of the vehicle continued to drive with high beams while meeting another vehicle in the oncoming lane.
The running lights were on at the time of the stop in late evening or night conditions.
The rear of the car has working fog lights if visibility is at normal levels.

Useful information about cases when it is allowed to issue a fine

For most, a 500-ruble fine for headlights cannot be called a burden. But it is far from the only punishment that can be applied. In situations where another vehicle gets into an accident due to the other party's forgetfulness, the latter will be liable due to culpability in causing the accident.

The use of compulsory motor liability insurance is very problematic if, as a result of the actions committed, the victim wants to repair his car. On the one hand, the insurance company can give the go-ahead for the release of funds, but at the same time it reserves the full right to a subsequent refund. If it happens that two drivers are at fault at the same time, only half of the insured amount will be payable.

Preventing a fine for low beam is quite simple. All you need is to use the necessary lighting device. What to do if it doesn't work properly? Not only careless motorists can encounter such situations. If the vehicle is used for a long time and frequently, the low beam may suddenly stop working while driving.

On a note. Be that as it may, traffic police officers also fine for such situations. Responsibility arises in accordance with paragraph 3.3 of the list, which indicates defects the presence of which prohibits the operation of the machine.

If you ignore the established requirements, you will not get rid of the light fine. You will have to answer in accordance with the first part of Article 12.5. Fine - 500 rubles, or a verbal warning. Sanctions are relevant for cars where:

one headlight does not work;
It is impossible to enable two at once.

One headlight doesn't work

The cause of the breakdown does not play a special role. This may not only be a burnt-out lamp, but also driving with a damaged housing, as well as a number of other problems.

Note! In accordance with the law, imposing a fine for not turning on headlights is possible only by a traffic police officer. Other officials do not have the corresponding powers. Nevertheless, they retain the right to report information about the offense with the presentation of the corresponding factual base - photo or video materials.

An interesting fact is that traffic police officers can almost never fine the driver of a vehicle if its headlights are not turned on or do not work at night. The reason is quite simple - amateur photographic equipment is unable to take high-quality photographs from a long distance so that identification marks are visible on them. There is a greater chance of getting a fine when reporting by eyewitnesses if they recorded the violation during the day.

When imposing a fine for having the headlights off, the driver must fully agree that the offense actually occurred. If a person forgot about the need to turn on the low beams, and his guilt is proven, it is strongly recommended to pay the fine within 20 days from the date the resolution comes into force.

Note! If payment for driving with non-working low-beam headlights in Moscow and other regions of Russia was made within 20 days from the date of the decree, the driver can take advantage of a 50 percent discount. In other words, instead of a 500-ruble fine, you can only pay 250. If this deadline is violated, payment will be made in full.

So, it is now clear what fine for not turning on headlights can be applied to a forgetful car owner. All payment methods are discussed below.

In accordance with the current regulations, you can pay the imposed fine in the following ways:

at the territorial traffic police department in your city;
in a banking organization where there is a terminal;
at the bank's cash desk;
through the Internet.

Be sure to check whether the decree for creating a dangerous traffic situation actually came into force, and if driving without headlights was committed, what amount of the fine was ultimately imposed.

Checking fines using the Yandex interface

Note! To check, you need to go to the official website of the traffic police and enter the resolution number or your passport details. If the system recognizes the data, it will provide information about all unpaid fines, dates of decisions, as well as other important information.

To check how much you have to pay for driving without low-beam headlights in daylight or at night, you can use the following methods:

Visit the traffic police post.
Go to the bailiffs website, or go to their office.
Go to the State Services website and enter your data in the “State Traffic Safety Inspectorate” section. The system will automatically display a complete list of orders issued to this name.
Go to the website of the bank that serves the car owner, select the “Payment of fines” section (the wording of the name may be different) and check if there are any unpaid orders.
Use the official website of the traffic police.

Payment of a fine on the State Services website using the receipt number

Resolution of controversial situations

In some cases, you can get by with a warning, but provided that the car owner knows the sequence of actions necessary in such cases.

A fine for driving without lights can be prevented by informing the employee that the car is heading to the territory of a service station, where the fault must be repaired. Or indicate that the malfunction made itself felt a few minutes ago. Then there is a greater chance of avoiding a fine.

Note! In the absence of obvious evidence, the decision can be appealed in court. To do this, you need to take with you your passport, a copy of the resolution and factual data - video from the recorder, obtain testimony from witnesses, and so on.

Practice shows that judicial settlement of such conflicts rarely ends positively. If only because traffic police officers constantly video record violations. Greater chances arise when the violation occurs at night and the inspector was unable to properly photograph your car.

Changes in legislation

Article 12.20 was last amended in 2009. They officially came into force in 2010. Previously, it was possible to move smoothly on public roads without turning on low beam headlights. After amendments to the normative act, the amount of fines applied to vehicle drivers simultaneously became relevant.

Regardless of what kind of fine you have to pay for driving without lights - full or “discounted”, it is strongly recommended that from time to time you check the serviceability of all lighting devices installed on the vehicle. This is the only sure way to avoid punishment. If there are no technical complaints, you need to develop the habit of turning on the low beam headlights “automatically”.

Traffic police officers do not have the right to issue orders of their own free will - there must be serious reasons for this. It’s better not to be lazy and ask the employees for evidence - photos/videos from the crime scene. If the car owner believes that the fine was issued unlawfully, you can go to court.