MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2001 Regular Session

To: Highways and Transportation

By: Senator(s) Dearing

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 63-7-23, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW THE USE OF WHITE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE THE AREA TO THE REAR OF A VEHICLE IF THE SWITCH CONTROLLING SUCH LIGHT MAY BE ARRANGED SO THAT SUCH LIGHTS MAY BE TURNED ON ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 63-7-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

63-7-23. (1) The color of lighting devices shall be as follows:

(a) All front clearance lamps, and all side marker lamps, except the one on each side at or near the rear of any bus, truck, truck tractor, semitrailer, full trailer or pole trailer, shall when lighted display an amber color.

(b) No red lighting device of any character shall be mounted at any place other than on or near the rear of any bus, truck, truck tractor, semitrailer, full trailer or pole trailer. However, school buses owned by or under contract with a school district of this state may have affixed at or near the front end thereof red lighting devices that may be caused to blink when the school bus is stopped or in the process of stopping for the purpose of loading or unloading school children. A school bus also may be equipped with a white, flashing strobe light on the roof of the vehicle installed according to standards promulgated by the Mississippi Department of Education as authorized under Section 37-41-1(c).

(c) All rear clearance lamps, the side-marker lamps on each side at or near the rear, and any other lamps mounted on the rear, on any bus, truck, truck tractor, semitrailer, full trailer or pole trailer shall when lighted display a red color. However, the stop light or other warning device on the rear of any motor vehicle may be red or amber.

(d) Backing lights of any color may be mounted on the rear of any motor vehicle if the switch controlling such lights be so arranged that they may be turned on only when the vehicle is in reverse gear. Such backing lights when unlighted shall be so colored or otherwise arranged as not to reflect objectionable glare in the eyes of drivers of vehicles approaching from the rear.

(2) No provision of this section shall be so construed as to prohibit the use of any white light or lights for the purpose of illuminating license plates. No provision of this section shall be so construed as to prohibit the use of any white light or lights for the purpose of illuminating an area to the rear of a vehicle if the switch controlling such light or lights can be arranged so that such lights may only be turned on when the vehicle is stopped.

(3) Any lamps on a vehicle, other than those expressly required or permitted by the provisions of this chapter, shall, if visible from the front, display a white or amber light; if visible from either side, display an amber light; and if visible from the rear, display a red light.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2001.