Nobody thinks to check their car or truck tail lights

By Bill Magnus You have tail lights on your car, and you know what they are for. They signal a stop, and your taillights are used as a turn signal. Many times people get stopped by the police for having one taillight out, and they don’t understand what the big deal is. But with one light out or broken, other drivers can't see your car peticularly if it is quite dark out at night, you should realize that it can confused drivers, and you may end up in a car accident as a result of one broken light.

Nobody thinks to check their tail lights each time they get in the car, but it is something that everyone should do. I don’t do it, and I know I should pay more attention. Perhaps I think my husband will notice if one of the tail lights goes out, but he’s about as scatterbrained as I am. Usually a person knows they have a light out when a mechanic tells them, another driver tells them at a stop light, or a police officer has pulled them over. You won’t always get a ticket for it, sometimes you will get a 24 or 48 hour warning and have to fix the problem and then drive to the police station to prove the taillight has been fixed or replaced, and then there are some police officers that will issue them.

Your tail lights light up when you press on the brake, and if one of them is not working the people behind you might not notice, which can be quite dangerous. This might not be a big problem at night, but it can throw off drivers who may think you are a motorcycle when they see only one light. If you have tail lights out, you are more likely to be in an accident, or to cause one. Either way, it’s not a good situation. If you can’t properly let others know that you are slowing down, turning, or stopping completely, they can’t properly react. If you are in heavy traffic, this can affect the long line of vehicles coming down the road behind you as well.

The good news is that your tail lights should not burn out that often. They aren’t that expensive to replace as they are usually below $20 dollars at your local automotive store, and most people can figure out how to do it on their own. You should make it a point to check on your tail lights at least once a week to make sure they are both working properly. If you get pulled over, you may get ticketed or you may get warned. It all depends on the mood of the person who pulled you over. That’s why it’s always important to be respectful and kind to police officers. They’ve seen it all, so make checking your taillights a regular occurence.

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