Winter is here, days are shrinking, and dusk commutes hit faster than you think. In Arizona, that means headlight decisions matter. We’ll break down the laws, the 500-foot rule, and what insurers look for after a crash, starting with quick answers.
TL;DR: Arizona Headlight Laws
- When to turn headlights on in AZ: From sunset to sunrise and anytime you can’t see 500 feet ahead (think dust, rain, smoke, fog, tunnels, heavy shade). That’s straight from Arizona law.
- Can you drive with one headlight out? Not legally at night or in low visibility for most passenger cars; Arizona requires two headlamps, one on each side. Motorcycles may have one or two.
- High beams: Dim within 500 feet of oncoming traffic and when following within 200 feet. Glare tickets are real.
- LED headlights: Allowed if your headlamps are DOT/FMVSS 108 compliant and properly aimed.
- Why it matters after a crash: If the law required headlights and they weren’t on, expect a comparative fault argument that can reduce your recovery by your percentage of blame.
When Are Headlights Required in Arizona?
Under A.R.S. § 28-922, lighted lamps are required from sunset to sunrise. The statute ties it to the sun, not a specific hour, so the “on” time shifts through the year.
What Hours Does This Usually Mean in Phoenix?
There isn’t one fixed time, but as a rule of thumb in the Valley:
- Early December: sunsets are around 5:20 p.m. (earliest sunsets fall on December 3–4).
- Late June: the latest sunset lands near 7:33–7:43 p.m. (around June 29).
500-Foot Visibility Rule
Also, headlights must be on anytime you can’t clearly see people or vehicles 500 feet ahead, even in daylight during dust, smoke, heavy rain, fog, tunnels, or deep shade. If visibility drops, lights go on.
Daytime Running Lights don’t Satisfy The Statute
Daytime running lights (DRLs) help others see you, but they don’t satisfy Arizona’s headlamp requirement after sunset or when the 500-foot rule kicks in, especially because DRLs often don’t light your taillamps. If conditions meet the statute, use your full headlights.
Daytime Headlight Segments
Additionally, the Arizona Department of Transportation regulates the Daytime Headlight Segments rule. You’ll see “Headlights On” signs on some highways (for example, parts of SR-169) to boost visibility and cut head-on crashes. When posted, the headlight requirement applies even in daylight along that segment. Flip them on.
On the technical side, there are requirements your vehicle must meet under Arizona law.
Headlights Equipment Basics: What Your Vehicle Must Have
Before we get into edge cases and tickets, it helps to know what Arizona expects your vehicle to have from the start. There are a few rules that apply for the drivers.
Number of Headlamps:
- Passenger vehicles: At least two, one on each side.
- Motorcycles/ATVs: One or two.
Color Rules:
Front-facing lighting must display legal colors. Arizona’s lamp-color statute and federal standards govern what’s allowed, and blue/red front lights are tightly restricted to authorized vehicles.
Flashing Restrictions:
Flashing lights are prohibited except for turn signals, hazards on disabled/parked vehicles, school buses, snow removal, or authorized emergency/special uses.
If any of these basics are off, such as wrong color, one headlight out, or aftermarket bulbs causing glare, you can draw attention from law enforcement and give an insurance adjuster ammunition in case of a crash.
LEDs, Retrofits, and “Are My Lights Legal?”
Yes, LED headlamps can be legal if the headlamp assembly is FMVSS 108 compliant and properly aimed. The federal standard (49 C.F.R. §571.108) sets performance and photometry requirements for headlamps and allows adaptive driving beams (ADB) in newer vehicles, which help light the road without blinding others. Poorly aimed or non-compliant bulb swaps (e.g., LEDs stuffed into halogen housings) can create illegal glare and invite traffic stops.
If oncoming drivers keep flashing you, get your headlight aim checked. Glare complaints aren’t just courtesy issues; they can lead to citations under glare rules.
High Beams: Use Them Smartly
High beams help you see farther, and are great on dark roads, dangerous in traffic. Arizona law requires you to avoid projecting glaring rays into oncoming drivers’ eyes within 500 feet and to dim when following within 200 feet. If another driver says they were “blinded,” that can become an issue in both a ticket and a liability claim.
Tickets And Consequences For Headlight Violations In Arizona
Headlight issues are usually handled as civil traffic violations in Arizona. Common violations include:
- Driving without required lights from sunset till sunrise or when visibility < 500 ft is often charged as an equipment violation. The ticket might vary from 75$t to 272$, depending on the county’s rules.
- Improper high-beam use (not dimming within 500 ft of oncoming / 200 ft when following) is commonly treated like an “other moving violation with a ticket up to $265.25.
- Unlawful colors or prohibited flashing
- Defective/misaligned equipment (burned-out bulb, mis-aimed lamp)
Typical penalties include a fine plus court surcharges, and amounts vary by city/county laws.
Bad Weather Playbook (Dust, Fog, Smoke, Heavy Rain)
If you’ve driven through a summer haboob or a sudden monsoon cell, you know how fast Arizona skies can flip from clear to “can’t-see-the-hood.” In low visibility, small choices, like which beams you use or whether you hit the hazards, can keep you out of a pileup.
- Turn on low beams early. High beams can reflect back in dust/fog and make things worse.
- Use hazards only if stopped or moving very slowly in an emergency. Don’t cruise at speed with hazards flashing; the law limits flashing use.
- Clean headlamps help. Cloudy lenses cut useful light; restoration and correction of aim improve visibility and reduce glare for others. Independent testing and safety groups link better headlight performance to fewer nighttime crashes.
These choices aren’t just safety habits. After a crash, insurers dissect them to shift blame.
How Headlight Use Can Affect Fault and Compensation
Night crashes are more severe for a reason: low visibility magnifies every mistake. After a wreck at dusk, in the dark, or in a dust cell, insurance adjusters zero in on headlight use. If the law said your lights should’ve been on (or dimmed) and they weren’t, expect a comparative-negligence argument in Arizona; your compensation can be reduced by the percentage of fault they try to pin on you. And if the other driver was the one without required lights or misusing high beams, we document that and use it to push liability back where it belongs.
Follow these steps for headlight-related claims
- Recreate visibility. Collect sunset time, weather, and air-quality data, street-lighting conditions, and photos of the exact area.
- Lock in what happened. Gather witness statements, 911 timestamps, dashcam footage, and nearby traffic/business video.
- Verify your equipment. Keep bulb/repair receipts, note headlamp aim, and confirm whether DRLs or full headlamps were on.
- Address “glare” claims. Use measurements and photos to show proper high-beam use and a legal cutoff pattern, plus vehicle specs.
Proper, legal lighting strengthens your claim, and solid evidence keeps the blame where it belongs.
How Our Lawyers Team Helps
We take the evidence work off your plate. Our investigators pull weather and visibility records, our accident-reconstruction partners model sight lines and beam patterns, and our car accident attorneys handle the insurer, challenging bad assumptions, negotiating firmly. You focus on care; we handle the claim.
If your crash happened in low light, dust, or rain,n and an adjuster is pointing to your headlights, we can review the facts and explain your options under Arizona law. Free case review. No upfront costs.