Xenon headlights have recently become popular. They are even installed on relatively old cars, and although motorists often use cheap blinding xenon, the fact remains. Despite the fact that xenon helps the driver better navigate in the dark, a fine applies for xenon headlights. But why?
Basic moments
In accordance with the law, the driver is obliged to insert into the headlights only those bulbs that are provided for by the design of the car. On his own, he does not have the right to change bulbs to another type. To do this, he needs to contact the traffic police department and write a statement about making structural changes to the car. There is even a special form in the traffic police for this.
After writing the application, the car inspects the technical supervision, and then the head of the department issues a special permit, and only then can the lights be converted. And this is in case of approval of the application.
The penalty for xenon
If you install the headlights that are not provided for by the design without special permission, then even the deprivation of rights for xenon for up to one year is possible.
The protocol is issued in case of such violations:
- The diffuser and lamp type do not match the headlamp.
- The headlight adjustment is violated.
- The mode of their work is violated.
It is quite difficult to prove a malfunction and headlight adjustment without a special device, therefore, in a conversation with the traffic police inspector, you can safely communicate and assert your rights. Most often, they do not have a headlight checker. In any case, the car does not drive off to the parking lot even after the inspection. When proving the presence of illegal xenon, a protocol is drawn up, while the inspector is obliged to inform the driver about his rights, and if the driver does not agree with the drawn up protocol, a note about this is entered in it. In the event that the audit was conducted in violation of the law, the owner has the right to challenge the decision of the traffic police. Also note that the latter has the right to arrest xenon headlights. This happens in the following order:
- An inventory of items for arrest is being compiled (in our case, these are xenon headlights). The list of things must be confirmed by the owner.
- The arrest should be carried out with the participation of two witnesses - random people from the street.
- If necessary, you can video and photograph the arrest process.
- Be sure to draw up a protocol at the time of arrest, where the owner’s data is entered, the subject of the arrest is indicated. In this protocol, all persons who took part are required to sign: witnesses, inspector, owner.
- The protocol is created in two versions. The second part is given to the owner.
This drawing up procedure is mandatory. If the inspector tries to shirk from any point, then you can safely go to court. By the way, the xenon fog lights also apply.
Is "stock" xenon permitted?
If the manufacturer himself installed xenon headlights on the car, then they are a constructive (unchanged) element of the car, and they are not prohibited. That is, regular xenon headlights are allowed. Only independent intervention is unacceptable, so if the headlamp marking does not include the use of xenon bulbs, then problems may arise with the inspector. At least you have to pay a fine for xenon headlights. But only if he will check them. As practice shows, such checks take place, so do not think that no one will pay attention to xenon in your headlights.
By the way, the traffic police officer has no right to issue a fine for xenon headlights, as well as select a driver’s license. However, it also happens that drivers install red xenon, which is a pretty serious violation. Deprivation of rights for red xenon is more than likely.
What is xenon?
So much talk about the permissions and rules for using these headlights, but what is it all about? Xenon lamp is a gas discharge light source. It really provides high-quality lighting of the road, so that riding at night and in the evening becomes more convenient. Even in fog, xenon shines through the road perfectly. In general, such headlights are more reliable, provide a longer viewing range, last a long time and consume less electricity. Given that there are no incandescent filaments, their service life is on average 4 years, which is quite a lot.
But there are also disadvantages to this type of headlight. One of the first is fragility. When installed, they are easily damaged. The second drawback is the blinding of the driver, who is moving towards. This happens due to improper adjustment of the headlights themselves or in the case of buying cheap Chinese bulbs. Light from such lamps can be refracted and scattered, so frequent adjustment is necessary.
Why is xenon headlamps prohibited?
If you use bulbs in the headlights that are not specifically designed for these headlights, the light will not be scattered correctly. And it can blind the driver in the oncoming lane. The same goes for fog lamps. If there is a letter D on the glass, then in such headlights you can use xenon lamps. In this case, there will be no penalty for xenon headlights, and no inspector will be able to hold you accountable.
In general, it is worth remembering that since 2014 no one is allowed to independently change the design of the car (this ban also applies to xenon lamps). What to do if the installation of xenon headlights was carried out before this time? You must submit to the traffic police a document with the date of legalization of xenon headlights for your car. But if you lost this document, you will have to shoot xenon.
What is the penalty for xenon?
And although the Russian Federation provides fines for these headlights, they can be avoided. At a minimum, you can ask the employee to explain how the violation was found. If the answer is reasonable, the inspector may require that the hood be opened for inspection. You can refuse, because the inspector has the right to inspect the car only with the permission of the owner or with a court order. In this case, a protocol can be drawn up with the participation of witnesses. In general, you can try to convince the inspector that the lamps are halogen and simply have a cold glow.
If all else fails, then for xenon headlights the fine will be from 500 rubles. A driver's license for a period of 0.5 to 1 year is also withdrawn. An illegally installed appliance is seized. Remember that you can use xenon only in those cars where the use of gas-discharge light sources is provided.
Why are they installed at all?
In cars, these headlights are installed often. They are more advanced than the old ones, where conventional filament is used. Xenon better illuminates the road and surrounding objects, shows itself perfectly in bad weather and even in fog, and most importantly - it saves, because the life of such a light source is about 3000 hours.
However, they can cause problems for drivers moving towards or in front of the car (a blinding glow in the mirrors). Due to improper adjustment, the light in combination with halogen reflectors will scatter in different directions. Therefore, it is rightly believed that the wrong xenon in the car, where it is not provided, can create an emergency on the road. Note that in this case, the logic of the ban on the use of xenon headlights is iron. Despite this, such headlights are often used in relatively old VAZ cars, where they should not be. Experienced drivers know how unpleasant it is to drive at night on the road when a car with cheap or badly tuned xenon moves in front of you.
Conclusion
It should be clearly understood that it is impossible to make any design and technical changes in the car without obtaining the appropriate permission. Xenon headlights are no exception. Now you know what the penalty for xenon is and why you can’t install it yourself.