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CHRISTMAS spirit was certainly not on the agenda when a festively decorated Ford Mustang was pulled over by cops last week.
The sports car was stopped by police in Cheyenne, Wyoming, last Monday covered in Christmas lights.
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In a statement posted to their Facebook page, the Wyoming Highway Patrol also warned others of placing holiday decorations on their vehicles, as the practice is illegal.
“As the holiday season approaches, we would like to remind you of a Wyoming statute,” they wrote.
“W.S. 31-5-928 – Except as required in W.S. 31-5-929 and this section, no person shall drive or move any vehicle or equipment upon any highway with any lamp or device thereon capable of displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front of the center thereof.”
They went on to say that, while Christmas lights might look “cool and festive” the practice is in fact illegal in the state of Wyoming.
In an interview with Cowboy State Daily, WHP Trooper Jason Simmer explained that Christmas lights emblazoned on a vehicle are not only a distraction.
They also interfere with depth perception.
“If you have all those Christmas lights on, and you are braking because there’s some type of emergency in front of you, and other motorists can’t tell because of the amount of lights on the vehicle,” Simmer said.
“If there’s a hill or a curve, all that stuff can come into play.
“And when you have more lights, it’s more distraction.
“That increases reaction time and decreases the amount of time you have to actually react to something.”
Simmer told the publication that Christmas lights placed on vehicles can even potentially cause accidents and issues with insurance companies.
He added: “If someone hits you because of that and says, ‘Hey, I couldn’t see them before that,’ I wouldn’t want to have to deal with insurance.
“And then possibly not have your car taken care of after someone hits you.”
Cowboy State Daily stated that the fine for adding Christmas lights to a car is a cool $100, with a $10 discount available to motorists who are wearing a seat belt.
This comes as drivers recently learned of a $12 item that can banish a pesky winter car issue for good – making those cold mornings more manageable.
And elsewhere, a new legislation is set to go into effect on New Year’s Day that will send parking fines spiking to $50 and double if the ticket goes unpaid for 15 days.
Beginning January 1, 2025, traffic infractions in Kingston, New York, about 100 miles north of New York City, will jump from $20 to $50.
Ticket agents who catch unattended double-parked vehicles or cars blocking driveways or crosswalks for pedestrians will be subject to the new fines.
Blocking a fire hydrant will result in an automatic $100 fine.
