Traffic ticket for headlight not ON at 7:00 pm est

[Sg185033]

Georgia
Hi ,
I got a traffic ticket as car lights were not on. I left office around 6 pm when light was good and then reached home around 7:00 pm. Just outside my community, oficer has charged me for no light. Its a fine of $187. This is my first everticket in 9 years.
I am thinking to go to court as it was not that dark at 7 pm.
Kindly advice if I should plead guilty or not guilty.

 

[Zigner]

Georgia
Hi ,
I got a traffic ticket as car lights were not on. I left office around 6 pm when light was good and then reached home around 7:00 pm. Just outside my community, oficer has charged me for no light. Its a fine of $187. This is my first everticket in 9 years.
I am thinking to go to court as it was not that dark at 7 pm.
Kindly advice if I should plead guilty or not guilty.

Was it raining? Were there other conditions that caused visibility to be reduced?

You must have your headlights on when it's raining or when visibility is reduced to less than 500'

 

[adjusterjack]

Georgia
Hi ,
I got a traffic ticket as car lights were not on. I left office around 6 pm when light was good and then reached home around 7:00 pm. Just outside my community, oficer has charged me for no light. Its a fine of $187. This is my first everticket in 9 years.
I am thinking to go to court as it was not that dark at 7 pm.
Kindly advice if I should plead guilty or not guilty.

GA Code 40-8-20 Every vehicle upon a highway within this state at any time from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise and at any time when it is raining in the driving zone and at any other time when there is not sufficient visibility to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles on the highway at a distance of 500 feet ahead shall display lights, including headlights, and illuminating devices as required in this part for different classes of vehicles, subject to exceptions with respect to parked vehicles as stated in this part.

Has nothing to do with 7 PM or dark. It has to do with what time sunset was (assuming no other visibility issues).

Use the following website to determine what time sunset was in your city or zip code on the date of the citation:

https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/

 

[Zigner]

Has nothing to do with 7 PM or dark. It has to do with what time sunset was (assuming no other visibility issues).

Use the following website to determine what time sunset was in your city or zip code on the date of the citation:

https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/

It certainly can have to do with 7pm, since at no time in May in Georgia is sunset earlier than 8pm, meaning that the EARLIEST that headlights can be required (based on sunset time) is a little after 8:30 pm. Since it was 7pm, the OP is not in violation of that part of the law.

It certainly can have to do with "dark", since another part of the law states (paraphrased) that any time conditions cause visibility to drop to less than 500', headlights are required. It could be noon and dark (during an eclipse), thus requiring headlights.

My questions were pertinent.

 

[adjusterjack]

I think I covered all that with the phrase "assuming no other visibility issues."

But...

 

[quincy]

Was it raining? Were there other conditions that caused visibility to be reduced?

You must have your headlights on when it's raining or when visibility is reduced to less than 500'

Sg185033, the questions Zigner asks ^^^ are important as the answers can help determine if you have a good chance of being successful with a not guilty plea.

 

[Zigner]

I think I covered all that with the phrase "assuming no other visibility issues."

But...

Not really. Not after saying it "Has nothing to do with 7 PM or dark."