Anyone been pulled over for aftermarket front bumper??

Is it against the law to have an aftermarket bumper being that none of them are DOT approved? Since the economic crisis it seems cops are out handing out tickets for petty crap to raise revenue

 

People don't seem to get that all these "is it against the law" questions vary by state.

Best thing you can do is contact your local PD and ask.

 

Doesn't DOT supercede state or local law since it's a Federal enterprise?

 

All the equipment on your vehicle doesn't have to be DOT approved. It just has to not break any laws. If the laws REQUIRE DOT cert. for a certain piece of equipment, then there's some interplay.

NC, for example, has no mudflap laws, and the only bumper laws have to do with height from ground.

 

I recently read about an accident that involved a Honda accord with clear non dot approved tail lights that was rear ended..The accord driver was held liable because his lights were deemed illegal..I don't want to get a front bumper and hit somebody and get screwed over with lawyer crap

 

If it was illegal to have clear taillights in his state, then he may have been held liable.

Remember when I told you to call your local PD and ask?

There are no federal regulations for bumpers on pickup trucks. There ARE state and local laws. Consult your local and state authorities if you want an answer. You won't get it on here.

 

Asking your local PD doesn't always work either.
It depends on the person you talk to. Make sure they know the law. Just because an officer is suppose to uphold the law doesn't mean they know the law.

 

Generally, if you want to find out the legality of something, that's when you hire a lawyer.

They get paid to be experts on the law and legal research.

 

Here's the California Legal code:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=veh&codebody=&hits=20

Bumpers:

VEHICLE CODE
SECTION 28070-28071

28070. As used in this article, "passenger vehicle" means
"passenger vehicle" as defined in Section 34710.

28071. Every passenger vehicle registered in this state shall be
equipped with a front bumper and with a rear bumper. As used in this
section, "bumper" means any device designed and intended by a
manufacturer to prevent the front or rear of the body of the vehicle
from coming into contact with any other motor vehicle. This section
shall not apply to any passenger vehicle that is required to be
equipped with an energy absorption system pursuant to either state or
federal law, or to any passenger vehicle which was not equipped with
a front or rear bumper, or both, at the time that it was first sold
and registered under the laws of this or any other state or foreign
jurisdiction.