Roof Clearance lights legal to drive with?

[Recurve-Elk]

So I am welding up a rollbar/head rack for my lifted ranger, I designed it so it sticks above my cab about 2 inches.  I was curious if it was legal to mount 4 or 5 roof clearance lights and drive with them on.  Just the ones that glow not KC's or anything. 

Is it legal?
Is there any color/quantity/size/etc restrictions? 

I looked all over google and couldn't really answer my question, read most the rcw's and got confused or missed something.  Any cops around the site that could help me out?   

[Blacktail Sniper]

If you are talking about the amber colored ones and as long as they aren't blue, or have red facing forward or white facing to the rear, you should be good to go.

[toothfangclaw]

I think over a certain weight it is actually required. So, definitely ok.

[Thwack]

Amber is okay but you cannot drive with white. You may only have up to four white lights on the FRONT of your vehicle. IE headlights and fogs. Since they are not on the front and actually above the cab they have to be amber

[Happy Gilmore]

New vehicles have them- can't see the amber lights being an issue. I think you can have red on the sides and amber facing forward.

[Hunter Dug]

It is illegal to drive with more than two lights of any shade that are over 60 watts. If they are under 60 watt you are limited to an additional two and they may not shine passed parallel to the pavement. There has yet to be a clarification on LED lighting systems, so you will just be issued a warning if that is the case.  Recited by WSP.  So for the lame man two head lights above 60 watts, and two fog or running lights below 60 watts pointed at the road not above the road. Any thing more is a safety violation.  For those of you that have lift kits and leveling kits on your rigs you can also be sighted for a safety violation for not readjusting your head lights.  Sorry this is a big pet pev of mine.

Spot lamps and auxiliary lamps.
 
(1) Spot lamps. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two spot lamps and every lighted spot lamp shall be so aimed and used that no part of the high intensity portion of the beam will strike the windshield, or any windows, mirror, or occupant of another vehicle in use.

     (2) Fog lamps. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two fog lamps mounted on the front at a height of not less than twelve inches nor more than thirty inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands and so aimed that when the vehicle is not loaded none of the high intensity portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle shall at a distance of twenty-five feet ahead project higher than a level of four inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes. Lighted fog lamps meeting the above requirements may be used with lower head lamp beams as specified in RCW 46.37.220.

     (3) Auxiliary passing lamps. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary passing lamps mounted on the front at a height not less than twenty-four inches nor more than forty-two inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. The provisions of RCW 46.37.220 shall apply to any combinations of head lamps and auxiliary passing lamps.

     (4) Auxiliary driving lamps. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height not less than sixteen inches nor more than forty-two inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. The provisions of RCW 46.37.220 shall apply to any combination of head lamps and auxiliary driving lamps.

Multiple-beam delighting equipment.
 
Except as hereinafter provided, the head lamps or the auxiliary driving lamp or the auxiliary passing lamp or combination thereof on motor vehicles shall be so arranged that the driver may select at will between distributions of light projected to different elevations, and such lamps may be so arranged that such selection can be made automatically subject to the following limitations:

     (1) There shall be an uppermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of such intensity as to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of four hundred fifty feet ahead for all conditions of loading;

     (2) There shall be a lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of one hundred fifty feet ahead; and on a straight level road under any conditions of loading none of the high intensity portion of the beam shall be directed to strike the eyes of an approaching driver;

     (3) Every new motor vehicle registered in this state after January 1, 1948, which has multiple-beam road-lighting equipment shall be equipped with a beam indicator, which shall be lighted whenever the uppermost distribution of light from the head lamps is in use, and shall not otherwise be lighted. Said indicator shall be so designed and located that when lighted it will be readily visible without glare to the driver of the vehicle so equipped.

[netcoyote]

It is illegal to drive with more than two lights of any shade that are over 60 watts. If they are under 60 watt you are limited to an additional two and they may not shine passed parallel to the pavement. There has yet to be a clarification on LED lighting systems, so you will just be issued a warning if that is the case.  Recited by WSP.  So for the lame man two head lights above 60 watts, and two fog or running lights below 60 watts pointed at the road not above the road. Any thing more is a safety violation.  For those of you that have lift kits and leveling kits on your rigs you can also be sighted for a safety violation for not readjusting your head lights.  Sorry this is a big pet pev of mine.

.............

Hunter Dug, could you provide a link to the source? Is there a WSP web site that lists this? Thanks.

[kckrawler]

If you're talking about the type shown on the roof of this picture, you should be good to go.

RCW 46.37.110
Mounting of reflectors, clearance lamps, identification lamps, and side marker lamps.

(1) Reflectors when required by RCW 46.37.090 shall be mounted at a height not less than twenty-four inches and not higher than sixty inches above the ground on which the vehicle stands, except that if the highest part of the permanent structure of the vehicle is less than twenty-four inches the reflector at such point shall be mounted as high as that part of the permanent structure will permit.

The rear reflectors on a pole trailer may be mounted on each side of the bolster or load.

Any required red reflector on the rear of a vehicle may be incorporated with the tail lamp, but such reflector shall meet all the other reflector requirements of this chapter.

(2) Clearance lamps shall be mounted on the permanent structure of the vehicle in such a manner as to indicate the extreme height and width of the vehicle. When rear identification lamps are required and are mounted as high as is practicable, rear clearance lamps may be mounted at optional height, and when the mounting of front clearance lamps results in such lamps failing to indicate the extreme width of the trailer, such lamps may be mounted at optional height but must indicate, as near as practicable, the extreme width of the trailer. Clearance lamps on truck tractors shall be located so as to indicate the extreme width of the truck tractor cab. Clearance lamps and side marker lamps may be mounted in combination provided illumination is given as required herein with reference to both: PROVIDED, That no rear clearance lamp may be combined in any shell or housing with any tail lamp or identification lamp.


RCW 46.37.100
Color of clearance lamps, side marker lamps, back-up lamps, and reflectors.

(1) Front clearance lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the front or on the side near the front of a vehicle shall display or reflect an amber color.

(2) Rear clearance lamps and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the rear or on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall display or reflect a red color.

(3) All lighting devices and reflectors mounted on the rear of any vehicle shall display or reflect a red color, except the stop lamp or other signal device, which may be red, amber, or yellow, and except that on any vehicle forty or more years old, or on any motorcycle regardless of age, the taillight may also contain a blue or purple insert of not more than one inch in diameter, and except that the light illuminating the license plate shall be white and the light emitted by a back-up lamp shall be white or amber.

[firefighter4607]

kc beat me to it but I added one more. These are the RCW's about clearance lights.

 46.37.120 Visibility of reflectors, clearance lamps, identification lamps, and side marker lamps.

(1) Every reflector upon any vehicle referred to in RCW 46.37.090 shall be of such size and characteristics and so maintained as to be readily visible at nighttime from all distances within six hundred feet to one hundred feet from the vehicle when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps, except that the visibility for reflectors on vehicles manufactured or assembled prior to January 1, 1970, shall be measured in front of the lawful upper beams of headlamps. Reflectors required to be mounted on the sides of the vehicle shall reflect the required color of light to the sides, and those mounted on the rear shall reflect a red color to the rear.

(2) Front and rear clearance lamps and identification lamps shall be capable of being seen and distinguished under normal atmospheric conditions at the times lights are required at all distances between five hundred feet and fifty feet from the front and rear, respectively, of the vehicle.

(3) Side marker lamps shall be capable of being seen and distinguished under normal atmospheric conditions at the times lights are required at all distances between five hundred feet and fifty feet from the side of the vehicle on which mounted.

[1977 ex.s. c 355 § 11; 1963 c 154 § 8; 1961 c 12 § 46.37.120. Prior: 1955 c 269 § 12; prior: 1947 c 267 § 3, part; 1937 c 189 § 17, part; Rem. Supp. 1947 § 6360-17, part; RCW 46.40.040, part; 1933 c 156 §§ 5, part, 6, part; 1929 c 178 §§ 7, part, 8, part; 1927 c 309 §§ 27, part, 28, part; RRS §§ 6362-27, part, 6362-28, part; 1921 c 96 § 22, part; 1919 c 59 § 10, part; 1917 c 155 § 15, part.]

Notes:

Severability -- 1977 ex.s. c 355: See note following RCW 46.37.010.

Effective date -- 1969 ex.s. c 281: "This 1969 amendatory act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and except for sections 32 and 54 of this 1969 amendatory act shall take effect immediately. Sections 32 and 54 of this 1969 amendatory act shall take effect January 1, 1970." [1969 ex.s. c 281 § 63.]

Effective date -- 1963 c 154: See note following RCW 46.37.010.

[Hunter Dug]

I was given a warning by a WSP officer and was given this definition,  that is why I also posted the RCW.  What the poster is considering are just marker lights and as long as they are not white and can be seen from the the rear of the vehicle should be fine.

[Recurve-Elk]

Sweet, okay I figured the amber ones would be okay!  All the clues I found pointed that direction anyway haha.  I think ill mount 4 led amber marker lights on the top when I get the chance.  They would be visible from the back and from the front.  I feel like this would actually be a safe addition to my truck because It will be more visible at night! 

[Happy Gilmore]

Sweet, okay I figured the amber ones would be okay!  All the clues I found pointed that direction anyway haha.  I think ill mount 4 led amber marker lights on the top when I get the chance.  They would be visible from the back and from the front.  I feel like this would actually be a safe addition to my truck because It will be more visible at night!

I think this is where you're missing the written word. Like boating, color of lights have a meaning.

Amber means something is coming head on
Red means you are following.

If you can see your amber lights from the rear, I think you're illegal. They must be RED if you can see the light from the rear.

[JLS]

Sweet, okay I figured the amber ones would be okay!  All the clues I found pointed that direction anyway haha.  I think ill mount 4 led amber marker lights on the top when I get the chance.  They would be visible from the back and from the front.  I feel like this would actually be a safe addition to my truck because It will be more visible at night!

I think this is where you're missing the written word. Like boating, color of lights have a meaning.

Amber means something is coming head on
Red means you are following.

If you can see your amber lights from the rear, I think you're illegal. They must be RED if you can see the light from the rear.

Absolutely correct.  There is a very good reason that the RCW dictates the color and directional view of the lighting.

Don't overthink this and get yourself a ticket, or worse yet cause an accident.

[6x6in6]

Sweet, okay I figured the amber ones would be okay!  All the clues I found pointed that direction anyway haha.  I think ill mount 4 led amber marker lights on the top when I get the chance.  They would be visible from the back and from the front.  I feel like this would actually be a safe addition to my truck because It will be more visible at night!

I think this is where you're missing the written word. Like boating, color of lights have a meaning.

Amber means something is coming head on
Red means you are following.

If you can see your amber lights from the rear, I think you're illegal. They must be RED if you can see the light from the rear.

Absolutely correct.  There is a very good reason that the RCW dictates the color and directional view of the lighting.

Don't overthink this and get yourself a ticket, or worse yet cause an accident.

[Recurve-Elk]

Sweet, okay I figured the amber ones would be okay!  All the clues I found pointed that direction anyway haha.  I think ill mount 4 led amber marker lights on the top when I get the chance.  They would be visible from the back and from the front.  I feel like this would actually be a safe addition to my truck because It will be more visible at night!

I think this is where you're missing the written word. Like boating, color of lights have a meaning.

Amber means something is coming head on
Red means you are following.

If you can see your amber lights from the rear, I think you're illegal. They must be RED if you can see the light from the rear.

Absolutely correct.  There is a very good reason that the RCW dictates the color and directional view of the lighting.

Don't overthink this and get yourself a ticket, or worse yet cause an accident.

Son of a.  I thought I had it figured out haha.  So since the lights would technically be able to be seen from the front sides and rear, what color can I use?  Or is there a color I can use?
 
So red marker lights that are lit while the vehicle is running is okay if only visible from the rear?  If this is the case Ill just mount red lights on the bottom edge of the roll bar. (wont be visible from the head on traffic then.)