Blue and Red Shining Lights Into Cars Colorado Springs
Colorado State Patrol
By Trooper Chris Beaverson
Colorado State Patrol
There are many laws in the State of Colorado concerning lights on a motor vehicle. These laws cover a variety of topics ranging from the authorized height of headlights to the required number of taillights. These laws also regulate the proper and required use of all these lights.
While working the night shift recently, I noticed several vehicles displaying different colored lights. Most of the popular colors I have seen are green, red, and blue. All three of these colors are illegal to display on a civilian motor vehicle, and will result in a summons into court, or a citation with a fine, depending on the color.
I will start with an explanation of why green lights are illegal to display on a civilian vehicle. Colorado Revised Statute (C.R.S) 42-4-213 states: "Any authorized emergency vehicle…may be equipped with green flashing lights…such lights may only be used at the single designated command post at any emergency location or incident…any other use of a green light by a vehicle shall constitute a violation of this section."
This means only the highest-ranking law enforcement, medical, or commanding supervisor respon-ding to an emergency incident is allowed to display a green light on their vehicle.
If you are not an incident commander, you are not allowed to display any kind of visible green light on the exterior of your vehicle.
Red or blue lights on a civilian motor vehicle are also a serious offense. C.R.S. 42-4-238 states: "A person shall not be in actual physical control of a vehicle…that the person knows contains a lamp or device that is designed to display, or that is capable of displaying if affixed or attached to the vehicle, a red or blue light visible directly in front of the center of the vehicle."
This means if the red light or the blue light is visible to the front of the vehicle, regardless if it is coming from the interior or exterior, it is a violation. If you are contacted by law enforcement for this violation, you can be cited for "knowingly possessing a vehicle with a red or blue light," which is a class 1 misdemeanor and a summons into court.
Exempted from this statute are emergency vehicles, including personal vehicles, driven by volunteer fire and EMS crews.
Recently, I stopped a young driver who was displaying green overhead lights on his pickup truck. During this stop, I was asked why the stores can sell these colored lights if they are illegal to own. Stores are allowed to sell these lights for the vehicles that are exempt from the statutes.
It is the responsibility of the individual driver to know what after-market parts are authorized for use in their city, county, and state. This information can be found online by searching for "Colorado Revised Statutes."
I would like to briefly address the required lights on your vehicle before closing this article. The lights on your vehicle are important pieces of equipment. Please ensure that all of the required lights are in proper working order, not only to avoid being contacted by law enforcement, but to keep yourself and the other drivers around you safe.
Please remember, if your vehicle came with two headlights, it needs to operate with two working headlights. If your windshield wipers are on, or there are poor weather conditions, then your headlights should also be on. If the sun is setting, please turn on your headlights to aid other motorists in seeing your vehicle.
Due to a recent increase in the number of colored lights I have noticed on vehicles, I felt it was important to raise awareness that these lights are actually illegal.
There are many statutes concerning vehicle lighting that I have not covered in this article. All of them, however, can be found online through a search for the "Colorado Revised Statutes" or through printed copies of the statutes.
March 26
*A Sterling man was transported to Sterling Regional Medical Center following a 6:30 p.m. accident about 17 miles west of Sterling.
Andrew Contreras, 27, of Ster-ling, was driving a 2015 Nissan Altima east on I-76 when it went off the left side of the road. The car traveled for about 58 feet before striking a traffic barrel. The car continued off road for about 302.5 feet, and then went back onto the roadway, rolling one time for about 100.6 feet.
The car came to rest on its wheels about 6.7 feet from the left edge of the roadway with extreme damage.
Sterling Police Department
March 28
*Jose Angel Acosta, 25, of Sterling, was arrested at 1:03 p.m. at 110 Overland Trail on charges of Trespassing and Damaging Property. He was also issued a municipal summons on March 25 at 9:08 p.m. for Disturbing The Peace following a 911 hang-up call.
March 27
*Police responded to a disturbance in the 1100 block of Platte Street at 2:16 a.m. Sandy Joseph Martinez, 35, of Sterling, was arrested on a Sterling Municipal Court warrant for Failure To Appear with a $460 bond.
March 26
*Terry Lee Nation, 48, of Sterling, was arrested in the 1500 block of West Main Street on charges of Shoplifting and Possession of a Schedule 1 or 2 Controlled Substance.
March 25
*At 3:47 p.m., Melvin Rodney Jackson, 48, homeless of Sterling, was arrested in the 200 block of West Main Street on charges of Felony Menacing and Disorderly Conduct.
*A GPS and radar detector were reported stolen from a 1996 Ford Windstar while parked in the 1200 block of North Fifth Street between 5 p.m. March 18 and 12 p.m. March 20.
*A Sirius radio Onyx Plus was reported stolen from a 2003 white Dodge Ram while parked in the 100 block of College Drive between 1:10 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. March 25.
*At about 7:42 p.m. March 25, a green cloth soft rifle case, clear 25-round banana magazine, a box of .22LR 40 grain ammunition and a black synthetic Ruger 10/22 22LR were reported stolen from a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 parked in the 600 block of Landrum Lane.
March 24
*Ronald Dewayne Hopkins, 43, of Sterling, was arrested at 4 a.m. in the 900 block of West Main Street on charges of Violation of a Restraining Order and Contempt of Court.
*Kordell Charles Maestas, 18, of Sidney, Neb., was issued a municipal summons at Wal-Mart for Theft at 4:05 p.m.
*Aryssa Brynn New, 32, homeless of Sterling, was arrested in the 200 block of Main Street at 11:46 p.m. on two warrants for Failure To Appear each with a $250 bond and a Failure To Comply warrant with a $100 bond.
March 23
*At 7:38 p.m., Jeremy Mitchell Kaye, 19, homeless of Sterling, was arrested on two SPD Failure To Appear warrants each with a $250 bond, and issued a summons for False Reporting.
March 22
*Dominic Jackson, 26, of Sterling, was issued a municipal citation at 4:20 a.m. for Trespassing.
*At 8:55 a.m., Darrin Todd Lebsock, 50, of Sterling, was arrested in the 600 block of State Street on charges of Second Degree Burglary (felony) and Criminal Mischief $500 to $1,000 (misdemeanor).
*At 11:48 a.m., Cassidy Sullivan, 32, of Sterling, was arrested in the 200 block of South Front Street on charges of False Imprisonment (misdemeanor) and DV-Summons and Complaint.
*At 5:14 p.m., Jessica Lenae Latoski, 31, of Fort Morgan, was issued a municipal ticket at Wal-Mart, 1510 W. Main St., for Theft.
*At 5:14 p.m., Brittany Shea Shurden, 26, of Fort Morgan, was issued a municipal ticket at Wal-Mart for Theft.
*At 5:36 p.m., police received a report of a 2014 Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck broken into while parked in the 400 block of Glenora Street between 7 p.m. March 21 and 7:30 a.m. March 22.
Logan County Sheriff's Office
March 24
*At 1 a.m., deputies contacted a man walking on a roadway.
*At 5:20 a.m., Ronald Hopkins, 43, was arrested on charges of Violation of a Protection Order and Contempt of Court and booked into Logan County Jail.
*At 6:45 a.m., deputies were dispatched to I-76 near the Sterling exit to assist Colorado State Patrol with traffic control.
*At 2:12 p.m., deputies were dispatched to Pioneer Road and County Road 41 regarding a driving complaint.
*At 3:16 p.m., Luke Queen, 36, was arrested on a Failure To Appear warrant and booked into Logan County Jail.
*At 4:07 p.m., Michael Lampman, 28, was arrested on a warrant and booked into Logan County Jail.
*At 4:53 p.m., Scott Cox, 37, was arrested on a Failure To Appear warrant and booked into Logan County Jail.
March 23
*At 7:51 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the 15000 block of Deerfield Street in reference to an animal complaint.
*At 9:47 a.m., deputies were dispatched to a vehicle accident about 31 miles east of Sterling on I-76.
*At 10:10 a.m., deputies were dispatched to Highway 6 milemarker 416 east of Sterling regarding a vehicle rollover.
*At 1:16 p.m., deputies were dispatched to the Atwood Sinclair in reference to a public assistance.
*At 2:10 p.m., deputies were dispatched to County Roads 30 and 37 in reference to a vehicle accident.
*At 6:05 p.m., deputies were dispatched to the 700 block of Logan Street in Peetz regarding a possible theft.
*At 7:05 p.m., deputies were dispatched to Highway 138 and County Road 53 regarding a welfare check.
March 22
*At 9:45 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the 36000 block of County Road 37 regarding a suspicious parked vehicle.
*At 12:05 p.m., deputies were dispatched to Highway 6 at milepost 399 west of Sterling regarding cows on the roadway.
*At 1:18 p.m., deputies were dispatched to the 19000 block of County Road 41 in reference to a neighbor dispute.
*At 2:34 p.m., deputies made a return phone call regarding a fraud call.
*At 3:15 p.m., deputies made a return phone call regarding a fraud call.
March 21
*At 7:41 p.m., deputies were dispatched to Atwood in reference to domestic violence.
*At 9:24 p.m., deputies responded to the 600 block of Louisa Street in Peetz regarding a possible trespasser.
March 20
*A deputy was dispatched to the 17000 block of Highway 14 regarding a burglar alarm. Upon arrival, everything checked out okay.
March 19
*At 6:26 a.m., a deputy responded to a rollover accident about three miles north of Sterling on Highway 138. The deputy directed traffic and remained on the scene until Colorado State Patrol arrived.
*At 10:41 a.m., a deputy was dispatched to the 15000 block of Ridge Road on a welfare check.
March 18
*At 7:30 a.m., a deputy responded to a rollover accident about 16 miles east of Sterling on I-76.
March 17
*Aberham Feser, 35, was booked into Logan County Jail on a Failure To Appear warrant out of Greeley.
March 16
*At 9:22 a.m., deputies assisted Sidney Police Department with a pursuit that entered into Logan County. The pursuit ended at County Roads 48 and 7. Juan Iniguez, 37, was arrested and booked into Logan County Jail for Vehicular Eluding, Reckless Endangerment and Driving With a Revoked License.
March 15
*At 3:15 p.m., a deputy responded to the 20000 block of Elmwood in reference to a possible attempted theft. There was damage to a truck radio, dash and brake of a truck.
March 13
*At 11 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the 44000 block of County Road 64.5 in Crook to assist Sterling and Crook Fire Departments with a medical call.
*At 12:34 p.m., a deputy responded to a motorcycle accident on County Road 67.5 near Proctor.
Sterling Fire Department
March 22
*At 9:59 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to a log on fire at Logan County Roads 39 and 34. Firefighters arrived to find a four-foot log/post burning from a ditch that had been burned earlier in the day.
Blue and Red Shining Lights Into Cars Colorado Springs
Source: https://www.southplattesentinel.com/2016/03/30/certain-headlight-colors-are-illegal-in-colorado/