Ban Blinding Headlights! Request to NHTSA to Confirm Steady Burning Requirement

Dear Supporters,

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires that all auxiliary vehicle warning lamps be "steady burning".  However, NHTSA defers enforcement of this regulation to the states and states are not enforcing the steady burning requirement.  In our efforts to have state and local government agencies comply with the steady burning requirement under 49 C.F.R. 571.108(S6.2.1), state and local agencies have pushed back, with various claims such as state law superseding federal law, or that NHTSA has carved out exemptions for emergency vehicles.  To rebut these arguments, the Soft Lights Foundation has submitted a formal request to NHTSA for confirmation that no vehicle category has been exempted from the steady burning requirement. (https://www.softlights.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/NHTSA_Wachtel_Steady_Burning_Confirmation_Request.pdf).

Flashing lights impair our vision, increase reaction times, and create safety hazards.  The fact that we see intense, LED flashing lights on vehicles everywhere we go is an indication of a breakdown of the system.  This letter to NHTSA is one of the steps we are taking to eliminate the use of non-compliant auxiliary vehicle warning lamps.

Sincerely,

Mark Baker
President
Soft Lights Foundation
www.softlights.org
mbaker@softlights.org
X: @softlights_org
Bluesky: @softlights-org.bsky.social