Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 61. MOTOR VEHICLES

CHAPTER 9. VEHICLE EQUIPMENT

Part 2. Lighting Equipment

Spot Lamps, Fog Lamps, And Auxiliary Lamps

61-9-217. Spot lamps, fog lamps, and auxiliary lamps. (1) A motor vehicle may not be equipped with more than two spot lamps and a lighted spot lamp must be turned off upon approaching another moving vehicle from either direction.

(2) A motor vehicle may not be equipped with more than two fog lamps that provide a low, wide-angle light pattern to increase short-range visibility. Fog lamps must be mounted on the front at a height not more than 30 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 at a distance of 25 feet ahead projects higher than a level of 4 inches below the level of the center of the lamp from which it comes. Lighted fog lamps meeting the requirements of this subsection may be used with lower headlamp beams as specified in 61-9-220(2). A fog lamp may not be used as a substitute for headlamps.

(3) A motor vehicle may not be equipped with more than two auxiliary driving lamps that produce a long-range, pencil-shaped light pattern and that are used to supplement the upper beams of headlamps. Auxiliary driving lamps must be mounted on the front at a height not less than 16 inches or more than 42 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. The provisions of 61-9-220 apply to a combination of headlamps and auxiliary driving lamps. An auxiliary driving lamp may not be used as a substitute for headlamps or lighted at any time the headlamps are required to be on in the low-beam position.

(4) An auxiliary off-road lamp mounted more than 42 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands may not be lighted while the vehicle is operated or parked on a highway.

History: En. Sec. 128, Ch. 263, L. 1955; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 147, L. 1957; R.C.M. 1947, 32-21-131; amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 431, L. 1997.