Ohio Admin. Code 4501-15-01 - Headlights
(A) Aim of
headlights - Headlights shall be aimed in accordance with the society of
automotive engineers (hereinafter referred to as S.A.E.) lighting
specifications code and shall be constructed and installed so as to provide
adequate and reliable illumination and shall conform to the appropriate
specification set forth in the SA.E. recommended practices or S.A.E. standards
for electric headlamps for motor vehicles or sealed-beam headlamp units for
motor vehicles and for motorcycles and motor-driven cycles the headlights shall
conform to the appropriate specifications set forth in the S.A.E. standards for
motorcycle and motor-driven cycle headlamps.
(B) Height - Every headlamp upon every
vehicle, including every motorcycle and motor-driven cycle, shall be located at
a height measured from the center of the headlamp of not more than fifty-four
inches nor less than twenty-four inches to be measured as set forth in section
4513.03 of the Revised Code.
(C) Multiple-beam road-lighting
equipment - Except as hereinafter provided, the headlamps or the auxiliary
driving lamp or the auxiliary passing lamp or combination thereof on motor
vehicles other than motorcycles or motor-driven cycles shall be so arranged
that the driver may select at will between distributions of light projected to
different elevations and such lamps may, in addition, be so arranged that such
selection can be made automatically, subject to the following limitations:
(1) There shall be an uppermost distribution
of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of such intensity as to reveal
persons and vehicles at a distance of at least three hundred fifty feet ahead
for all conditions of loading.
(2)
There shall be a lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed
and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at
least one hundred feet ahead; and on a straight level road under any condition
of loading none of the high-intensity portion of the beam shall be directed to
strike the eyes of an approaching driver.
(D) Single-beam road-lighting equipment -
Headlamp systems which provide only a single distribution of light shall be
permitted on motor vehicles manufactured and sold prior to 1960 in lieu of
multiple-beam road-lighting equipment herein specified if the single
distribution of light complies with the following requirements and limitations:
(1) The headlamps shall be so aimed that when
the vehicle is not loaded none of the high-intensity portion of the light shall
at a distance of twenty-five feet ahead project higher than a level of five
inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes, and in no
case higher than forty-two inches above the level on which the vehicle stands
at a distance of seventy-five feet ahead.
(2) The intensity shall be sufficient to
reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least two hundred feet.
(E) Lighting equipment
on motor-driven cycles - The headlamp or headlamps upon every motor-driven
cycle may be of the single-beam or multiple-beam type but in either event shall
comply with the requirements and limitations as follows:
(1) Every said headlamp or headlamps on a
motor-driven cycle shall be of sufficient intensity to reveal a person or a
vehicle at a distance of not less than one hundred feet when the motor-driven
cycle is operated at any speed less than twenty-five miles per hour and at a
distance of not less than two hundred feet when the motor-driven cycle is
operated at a speed of twenty-five or more miles per hour, and at a distance of
not less than three hundred feet when the motor-driven cycle is operated at a
speed of thirty-five or more miles per hour.
(2) In the event the motor-driven cycle is
equipped with a multiple-beam headlamp or headlamps, the upper beam shall meet
the minimum requirements set forth above and shall not exceed the limitations
set forth in paragraph (C)(1) of this rule and the lowermost beam shall meet
the requirements applicable to a lowermost distribution of light as set forth
in paragraph (C)(2) of this rule.
(3) In the event the motor-driven cycle is
equipped with a single-beam lamp or lamps, said lamp or lamps shall be so aimed
that when the vehicle is loaded none of the high-intensity portion of light, at
a distance of twenty-five feet ahead, shall project higher than the level of
the center of the lamp from which it comes.
(F) The headlamps required by the motor
vehicle laws of Ohio and this chapter shall be electrically lighted and display
a white light.
(1) The light from a spot lamp
shall be white.
(2) The light from
a supplementary driving or passing lamp shall be white.
(3) The light from an adverse weather lamp
shall be white, yellow, or light amber.
(4) Adverse weather lamps shall be so wired
that, whenever they are turned on, the tail lamp will also be lighted.
Notes
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 4513.19
Rule Amplifies: 4513.19
Prior Effective Dates: 11/17/1966, 10/16/1982, 06/01/2000, 07/23/2001, 07/25/2004
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 4513.19
Rule Amplifies: 4513.19
Prior Effective Dates: 11/17/66, 10/16/82, 6/1/00, 7/23/01, 7/25/2004
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