438.04 TAIL LIGHT; ILLUMINATION OF REAR LICENSE PLATE.

   (a)     Every motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole trailer or vehicle which is being drawn at the end of a train of vehicles shall be equipped with at least one tail light mounted on the rear which, when lighted, shall emit a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear, provided that in the case of a train of vehicles only the tail light on the rear-most vehicle need be visible from the distance specified.

   (b)   Either a tail light or a separate light shall be so constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate, when such registration plate is required, and render it legible from a distance of fifty feet to the rear.  Any tail light, together with any separate light for illuminating the rear registration plate, shall be so wired as to be lighted whenever the headlights or auxiliary driving lights are lighted, except where separate lighting systems are provided for trailers for the purpose of illuminating such registration plate. 

(ORC 4513.05)

438.05 REAR RED REFLECTORS.

   (a)   Every new motor vehicle sold after September 6, 1941, and operated on a street, other than vehicles of the type mentioned in Section 438.06 or a commercial tractor to which a trailer or semitrailer is attached, shall carry at the rear, either as a part of the tail lights or separately, two red reflectors of such size and characteristics and so maintained as to be visible at night from all distances within 300 feet to fifty feet from such vehicle. 

(ORC 4513.06)

   (b)   Every motorcycle shall be equipped with side reflectors attached either to the spokes of the wheels or to the frame, reflecting amber on the front and red on the rear.

(Ord. 1974-27.  Passed 4-15-74.)

438.06 SAFETY LIGHTING ON COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.

   Buses, trucks, commercial tractors, trailers, semitrailers and pole trailers, when operated upon any street, shall be equipped with clearance lights, marker lights, reflectors and stop lights as required by State regulations.  Such equipment shall be lighted at all times mentioned in Section 438.02 except that clearance lights and side marker lights need not be lighted on a vehicle operated where there is sufficient light to reveal any person or substantial object on the street at a distance of 500 feet.

   Such equipment shall be in addition to all other lights specifically required by Section 438.02 to Section 438.15, inclusive.  Vehicles operated under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Public Utilities Commission are not subject to this section.

(ORC 4513.07)

438.07 OBSCURED LIGHTS ON VEHICLES IN COMBINATION.

   Whenever motor and other vehicles are operated in combination during the time that lights are required, any light, except tail lights, which by reason of its location on a vehicle of the combination would be obscured by another vehicle of the combination need not be lighted, but this section does not affect the requirement that lighted clearance lights be displayed on the front of the foremost vehicle required to have clearance lights or that all lights required on the rear of the rearmost vehicle of any combination shall be lighted.  (ORC 4513.08)

438.08 RED LIGHT OR RED FLAG ON EXTENDED LOADS.

   Whenever the load upon any vehicle extends to the rear four feet or more beyond the bed or body of such vehicle, there shall be displayed at the extreme rear end of the load, at the times specified in Section 438.02, a red light or lantern plainly visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the side and rear.  The red light or lantern required by this section is in addition to the red rear light required upon every vehicle.  At any other time there shall be displayed at the extreme rear end of such load a red flag or cloth not less than sixteen inches square.

(ORC 4513.09)

438.09 LIGHTS ON PARKED OR STOPPED VEHICLES.

   Except in case of an emergency, whenever a vehicle is parked or stopped upon a roadway open to traffic or shoulder adjacent thereto, whether attended or unattended during the times mentioned in Section 438.02, such vehicle shall be equipped with one or more lights which shall exhibit a white or amber light on the roadway side visible from a distance of 500 feet to the front of such vehicle, and a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear.  No lights need be displayed upon any such vehicle when it is stopped or parked where there is sufficient light to reveal any person or substantial object within a distance of 500 feet upon such street.  Any lighted headlights upon a parked vehicle shall be depressed or dimmed. 

(ORC 4513.10)