PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1685, 3218 PRINTER'S NO. 3393
No. 1510 Session of 1993
INTRODUCED BY BISHOP, CAPPABIANCA, NAILOR, M. N. WRIGHT,
FREEMAN, GIGLIOTTI, HESS, B. SMITH AND E. Z. TAYLOR,
MAY 3, 1993
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
MARCH 22, 1994
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, requiring drivers to turn on their lights whenever <--
3 their windshield wipers are in operation; and imposing a
4 penalty. FURTHER SPECIFYING WHEN LIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS <--
5 ARE TO BE IN OPERATION.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated <--
9 Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
10 § 3718. Use of windshield wipers and lights.
11 (a) General rule.--It is unlawful for the driver of a motor
12 vehicle to fail to turn on the motor vehicle's lights when the
13 vehicle's windshield wiper system is in operation, except when
14 the windshield wiper system has been turned on temporarily for
15 the purpose of cleaning the windshield.
16 (b) Penalty.--A person who violates this section commits a
17 summary offense.
18 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
1 SECTION 1. SECTIONS 4302 AND 4524 HEADING AND (D) OF TITLE <--
2 75 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CONSOLIDATED STATUTES ARE AMENDED TO
3 READ:
4 § 4302. PERIODS FOR REQUIRING LIGHTED LAMPS.
5 (A) GENERAL RULE.--THE OPERATOR OF A VEHICLE UPON A HIGHWAY
6 SHALL DISPLAY THE LIGHTED HEAD LAMPS AND OTHER LAMPS AND
7 ILLUMINATING DEVICES REQUIRED UNDER THIS CHAPTER FOR DIFFERENT
8 CLASSES OF VEHICLES, SUBJECT TO EXCEPTIONS WITH RESPECT TO
9 PARKED VEHICLES, AT THE FOLLOWING TIMES:
10 (1) BETWEEN SUNSET AND SUNRISE.
11 (2) ANY TIME [WHEN,] DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LIGHT OR
12 UNFAVORABLE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS, INCLUDING RAIN, SNOW,
13 SLEET, HAIL, FOG, SMOKE OR SMOG[, PERSONS AND VEHICLES ON THE
14 HIGHWAY ARE NOT CLEARLY DISCERNIBLE TO THE OPERATOR FOR A
15 DISTANCE OF 1,000 FEET AHEAD].
16 (B) SIGNAL LIGHTS.--STOP LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND OTHER
17 SIGNALING DEVICES SHALL BE LIGHTED AS PRESCRIBED IN THIS TITLE.
18 § 4524. WINDSHIELD OBSTRUCTIONS [AND WIPERS].
19 * * *
20 [(D) WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEMS.--THE WINDSHIELD ON EVERY
21 MOTOR VEHICLE OTHER THAN A MOTORCYCLE OR SPECIAL MOBILE
22 EQUIPMENT SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH A WIPER SYSTEM CAPABLE OF
23 CLEANING RAIN, SNOW OR OTHER MOISTURE FROM THE WINDSHIELD, AND
24 SO CONSTRUCTED AS TO BE CONTROLLED OR OPERATED BY THE DRIVER OF
25 THE VEHICLE.]
26 * * *
27 SECTION 2. TITLE 75 IS AMENDED BY ADDING A SECTION TO READ:
28 § 4537. WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEMS.
29 (A) GENERAL RULE.--THE WINDSHIELD ON EVERY MOTOR VEHICLE
30 OTHER THAN A MOTORCYCLE OR SPECIAL MOBILE EQUIPMENT SHALL BE
19930H1510B3393 - 2 -
1 EQUIPPED WITH A WIPER SYSTEM CAPABLE OF CLEANING RAIN, SNOW OR
2 OTHER MOISTURE FROM THE WINDSHIELD, AND SO CONSTRUCTED AS TO BE
3 CONTROLLED OR OPERATED BY THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE.
4 (B) PERIODS FOR REQUIRING WIPERS.--THE OPERATOR OF A VEHICLE
5 UPON A HIGHWAY SHALL ACTIVATE THE WIPER SYSTEM REQUIRED UNDER
6 THIS CHAPTER FOR DIFFERENT CLASSES OF VEHICLES, SUBJECT TO
7 EXCEPTIONS WITH RESPECT TO PARKED VEHICLES, ANY TIME DUE TO
8 UNFAVORABLE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS, INCLUDING RAIN, SNOW, SLEET
9 OR HAIL.
10 SECTION 3. THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IN 60 DAYS.
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