The Vanderhoof RCMP in conjunction with the Prince George Regional Traffic Services (PGRTS) are reporting that they have seen an increase in vehicles using unauthorized off-road lights on their vehicle, which include LED light bars.
RCMP report that LED light bars and lights are unauthorized in that they are not approved for use on highways by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) or the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act (MVA), citing that they are intended for off-road use rather than use on numbered highways.
RCMP say that vehicles with these mounted LED lights must cover them while the vehicle is being operated on “any road as defined by the MVA.”
Those who do notcover their lights are subject to being fined by the RCMP.
A release by the RCMP states that LED light bars, when used at night on the highways, do not actually provide the driver with an increase in visibility as they do not project far enough into the distance. This lack of visibility make it more difficult to see animals on the road from a safe distance.
The release further states that LED lights can actually cause your eyes to dilate and thereby reduce your overall night vision.
Vanderhoof RCMP want to encourage local vehicle owners to research any modifications they make to their vehicle prior to installing them.
“The last thing we want is for a vehicle owner to spend hundreds of dollars on vehicle modifications, only for them to find out later that it does not comply with the MVA Regulations,” said Cpl. R. Vongkeo of the Vanderhoof RCMP.
