"I'll bet you he thinks it's dark"

http://www.lacantdrive.com/2012/11/30/no-headlights-well-after-dark/
No Copyright Infringement Intended

When I was growing up, my parents would always point out vehicles like the one in  the photo at right that were operating at night, after sunset, without headlights.  One of them would invariably say "I'll bet you he thinks it's dark."  In fact, my Mom still says that to this very day.

Just as with many things, what did not seem important to me as a child has taken on a new meaning for me as an adult.  This may be chief among them.

Traffic safety is very important to me.  We have all seen the immediate after-effects of accidents - damaged vehicles, tow trucks, and emergency responders - and we pray that  no one was injured... or worse.  One of my friends had a sister who was killed in a traffic accident in June of this year, and one of my Mom's neighbors similarly lost her grandson just last month.  I am unaware of the contributing factors in either of those particular incidents, but I firmly believe that increased visibility will serve as another in a series of measures already designed and enacted with public safety in mind.  

The current laws governing headlight use in the State of Minnesota are covered in Statute 169.48; unfortunately, they do not seem to have a great deal to them in the way of "teeth," as Subdivision 2 reads "Subd. 2. Certain violations; negligence.  “Notwithstanding section 169.96, a violation of subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (2), is not negligence per se or prima facie evidence of negligence."

Minnesota Fourth District Congresswoman
Betty McCollum (D)
http://mccollum.house.gov/about-betty
Shared here without permission

It is my goal, not only to change this, but to make it necessary that headlights be required twenty-four hours per day.  Since my efforts to gain the backing of my state legislator were not as successful as I had hoped  they would be, I have since contacted Minnesota Fourth District Congresswoman, Betty McCollum (pictured), and with any luck, this will become a national law.  I freely admit to needing some help making my "case" both brief and compelling.  There is also the matter of state and local enforcement of federal law.  This will not be possible without the support of my elected representative.

It might be difficult to convince a Californian, for example, that it is necessary to have his headlights on at 2:00 PM on a sunny July day, but I will match and exceed his incredulity every single day of the year upon seeing a  motorist operating his or her vehicle without headlights after sunset or during inclement weather conditions.  Just as I am concerned about other motorists seeing me and making their driving decisions based upon that, it is equally important to me that I be able to see them, and I believe that my proposal is a step in that direction.

This is not about "big government intruding upon your rights as a citizen,"  but about a citizen trying to find a simple to make sure that he; his family, friends, and loved ones; and YOU are safe on our roads, twenty-four hours per day.

Please wish me success in this pursuit.

Safe travels.

Do you have a public safety concern that you would like to see legislated, either locally or nationally?  Please tell me about it in the comments below.