North Carolina § 136-32.2 Placing blinding, deceptive or distracting lights unlawful

North Carolina Statutes

§ 136-32.2 — Placing blinding, deceptive or distracting lights unlawful

North Carolina § 136-32.2

Ch. 136Transportation

Art. 2Powers and Duties of Department and Board of Transportation

This text of North Carolina § 136-32.2 (Placing blinding, deceptive or distracting lights unlawful) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 136-32.2 (2026).

Text

(a)If any person, firm or corporation shall place or cause to be placed any lights, which are flashing, moving, rotating, intermittent or steady spotlights, in such a manner and place and of such intensity:

(1)Which, by the use of flashing or blinding lights, blinds, tends to blind and effectively hampers the vision of the operator of any motor vehicle passing on a public highway; or

(2)Which involves red, green or amber lights or reflectorized material and which resembles traffic signal lights or traffic control signs; or

(3)Which, by the use of lights, reasonably causes the operator of any motor vehicle passing upon a public highway to mistakenly believe that there is approaching or situated in his lane of travel some other motor vehicle or obstacle, device or barricade, which would

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(a) If any person, firm or corporation shall place or cause to be placed any lights, which are flashing, moving, rotating, intermittent or steady spotlights, in such a manner and place and of such intensity:
(1) Which, by the use of flashing or blinding lights, blinds, tends to blind and effectively hampers the vision of the operator of any motor vehicle passing on a public highway; or
(2) Which involves red, green or amber lights or reflectorized material and which resembles traffic signal lights or traffic control signs; or
(3) Which, by the use of lights, reasonably causes the operator of any motor vehicle passing upon a public highway to mistakenly believe that there is approaching or situated in his lane of travel some other motor vehicle or obstacle, device or barricade, which would impede his traveling in such lane;
[he or it] shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor.
(b) Each 10 days during which a violation of the provisions of this section is continued after conviction therefor shall be deemed a separate offense.
(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any lights or lighting devices erected or maintained by the Department of Transportation or other properly constituted State or local authorities and intended to effect or implement traffic control and safety. Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to prohibit the otherwise reasonable use of lights or lighting devices for advertising or other lawful purpose when the same do not fall within the provisions of subdivisions (1) through (3) of subsection (a) of this section.
(d) The enforcement of this section shall be the specific responsibility and duty of the State Highway Patrol in addition to all other law-enforcement agencies and officers within this State; provided, however, no warrant shall issue charging a violation of this section unless the violation has continued for 10 days after notice of the same has been given to the person, firm or corporation maintaining or owning such device or devices alleged to be in violation of this section. (1959, c. 560; 1973, c. 507, s. 5; 1975, c. 716, s. 5; 1977, c. 464, ss. 7.1, 17; 1993, c. 539, s. 983; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)