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Can you get pulled over for having a headlight out?
I just realized my car is a padiddle! This is my first car and I’ve only had it for a few months. Can you get pulled over for a headlight out? How much does it cost to get it fixed?
Matt Terzi · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Yikes, we’re sorry to hear about your blown headlight. Having said that, we’re happy to see the padiddle game is still alive and well! Anyway, yes, you can get pulled over for having a headlight out.
You shouldn’t drive the car until you’re able to get the headlight fixed. If you need to get to work, you may need to hitch a ride with a coworker or hit up your favorite ridesharing app. Driving with a blown headlight is incredibly dangerous and can result in traffic stops, warnings, and expensive traffic tickets.
Whether or not you get a ticket when an officer pulls you over will largely depend on how the officer is feeling that day. Sometimes you’ll just get a warning and instructions to get the headlight fixed. Other times you’ll get a ticket, which could end up costing you hundreds of dollars in some areas.
Ticket prices vary from state to state and county to county. In most cases, it’s cheaper to just get the headlight fixed than to gamble and lose on getting pulled over. Replacing a headlight bulb will cost $100 to $150 if you take it to a mechanic or a dealership for service.
Driving with a blown headlight, with no headlights, or driving with your high beams on when they can temporarily blind oncoming drivers and limit their vision are all illegal, ticketable offenses. Some states require headlights at other times, too. In New York State, for instance, you’re required to have your headlights on whenever it’s raining or snowing, even if it’s daytime.
Driving without
liability insurance
is also illegal. And if you bought your car with a loan that you’re still paying off, you’re obligated by your loan provider to have full coverage
, too. That’s why you need America’s top-rated car insurance
app, Jerry
!Jerry users save an average of $887 on car, home, and renter’s insurance. Download the app today and see how much time and money you’ll save!
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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