My driving lights are currently installed with a switch on the knee bolster (oem position). When I installed oem fog lights I was too lazy to disassemble the dash again and add another switch so the fogs are wired running thru the same switch as the driving lights. When the switch is on, the fogs come on with the low beams and the driving lights come on with the high beams. I'm considering changing the circuit so the driving lights are on anytime the highs are on. The fogs would still run thru the switch. What's the downside (if any)?

 

Not sure whether it might be an issue during annual safety inspections? Does the law require your high beams to operate independently of the driving lights?

 

No annual requirement for a safety inspection in Fl. I'm not aware of any Fl law that might forbid having the driving lights permanently tied to the high beams.

 

The 2006 Florida Statutes
Title XXIII
MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter 316
STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL


316.2396 Number of driving lamps required or permitted.--

(1) At all times specified in s. 316.217, at least two lighted lamps shall be displayed, one on each side at the front of every motor vehicle, except when such vehicle is parked subject to the regulations governing lights on parked vehicles.

(2) Whenever a motor vehicle equipped with headlamps, as herein required, is also equipped with any auxiliary lamps or a spot lamp or any other lamp on the front thereof projecting a beam of intensity greater than 300 candlepower, not more than a total of 4 of any such lamps on the front of a vehicle shall be lighted at any one time when upon a highway.

(3) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

History.--s. 1, ch. 71-135; s. 1, ch. 76-31; s. 191, ch. 99-248.


SO with that said you can have the following combinations.

1. headlights and fog lights
2. headlights and driving lights
3. fog lights and driving lights (no headlights - impractical though)

What you can not have though is
1 Headlights, fog lights and driving lights.

So as long as the fog lights turn off when the high beams are on and the driving lights are only on with the high beams then you should be fine.

BTW the word "highway" here means any road that vehicles normally travel on.


EDIT: I am not saying you have to follow the law that is your own decision but just stating it so if you get stopped you know the consequences.

 

OK, thanks for that info. I can't really think of a downside; I've got the driving lights, might as well use them.