WI Cops Warn Commercial Drivers: Leave This Dangerous Mod Off Your Truck
Many of us secretly, or not-so-secretly, enjoy a good Disney movie. We have our nostalgic favorites from the worn out VHS tapes or DVDs of our childhood, but many adults continue to enjoy these films for the stories, cinematic and often downright catchy soundtracks, and even the more mature jokes that you know aren’t aimed at the kids! Pixar’s Wall-E and DreamWork’s How To Train Your Dragon are favorites amongst the older generations, but who doesn’t like Disney’s Cars? It offers themes that are relatable to both kids and adults, like finding your place in a complicated world, and engaging car characters such as Mater and Lightning McQeen, whose eyes charmingly appear on their truck and car windshields. What’s charming in a movie, however, isn’t as acceptable in real life, as one commercial truck driver in Wisconsin recently discovered.
You really can buy anything these days, including LED car lights for your car or truck windshield. Unfortunately, turning your vehicle into a real-life Disney Cars character isn’t legal, at least in Wisconsin. Many states have statutes that prohibit lights of a certain color on the front of vehicles, so it’s unlikely that these lights will fly in most places. The Wisconsin State Patrol recently pulled over a commercial trucker for the green LED eye lights he added to his windshield. There are several reasons they’re a bad idea, and a few fun alternatives drivers can try instead.
Keep those peepers off your truck
Grandriver/Getty Images
If you’ve been planning to take a page out of Disney’s book and turn your vehicle, commercial or otherwise, into your very own homage to Cars, think again. The Wisconsin State Patrol posted on Facebook, “Hey Mack, we see you. Distractions come in all shapes and sizes. Recently, this driver was stopped and reminded why this is unsafe – not only for them, but for other motorists as well” along with a photo of the offending truck. In October, the California Highway Patrol issued a similar warning.
The eyes do look pretty cool, but they’re unsafe for several reasons. The LEDs may be distracting to other drivers, especially when mounted at a high height that could shine directly into passenger cars. The bright lights could cause a lot of glare, and the unpredictable color and movement of such lights could draw the attention of other drivers in an unsafe manner. The placement of these lights could block the truck driver’s field of view, leading to an accident. Finally, many states prohibit colored lights on vehicles so that other drivers don’t confuse them with emergency vehicles, like fire trucks.
If truckers want to add some flair to their rigs, there are safer and more legal options. Vinyl decals can liven up the windows and other exterior surfaces — just avoid placing stickers on the windshield. You can also add ambient lighting inside that won’t shine bright lights that are visible to other drivers, and perhaps LED underglow lights on the exterior, but be mindful of state law.
