Driver with broken headlights gets pulled over for creative fix, Washington cops say

A driver tried to get creative when replacing their headlights, but their solution was illegal, Washington State Patrol said.

At about 2 a.m. Monday, officials spotted a driver on I-90 in North Bend with “extremely dim” headlights, Washington State Patrol Trooper Rick Johnson told McClatchy News.

“The vehicle was pulled over as the headlights appeared extremely dim and that is when the trooper discovered that they were flashlights,” Johnson said in an email. “The driver also had a suspended driver’s license.”

The flashlights had been duct taped in where headlights would be, and their batteries were dying, photos show. Using flashlights as headlights is illegal as they don’t meet the requirements for how bright lights should be on a vehicle, Washington State Patrol said.

“The vehicle is required to have the lights that the manufacturer installs functioning,” Johnson said. “This vehicle had heavy front end damage and the original lights were missing.”

This story was originally published December 2, 2020 at 10:48 AM with the headline "Driver with broken headlights gets pulled over for creative fix, Washington cops say."