Tinted taillight?

If you modify the stop lamps (and thus remove the DOT certification) you can also be in violation of federal statutes not just state.

if you get rear ended and you have been shown to have modified the rear lights (brake lights) all they have to do is point out that they couldn’t see your (modified) lights and that’s why they couldn’t see you. Now you have to convince others that your modifications did NOT contribute. The onus of proof switches to you. Not only that your insurance company is going to let you flail for “illegal modifications” or some other crap so that they don’t have to pay out.

if you modify the headlights, brake lights, or windshield (tint) it can open you up to liability even in situations where it is the other persons fault

 

Yeah, I get that. I didn’t know you were talking about modified tail lights. You just said if you get rear ended that you could be at fault. I thought you meant just that, which is almost never the case. UNLESS you have modified tail lights. So we’re both talking about the same thing. I agree with you. I only quoted from the California legislative vehicle code. If there’s a federal statues, I don’t know about those. I was only quoting California’s but it sounds like many states have similar laws and similar language.

 

Yeah, I’m finding the people, like yourself, that already live in those states that are getting inundated with Californians are reaping benefits on the home prices skyrocketing. Others who are trying to buy are getting pissed off at Californians coming in and out biding them and making the market crazy expensive. Glad you benefited from it cause it’s gonna happen either way lol

 

D.O.T. Law/FEDERAL vehicle code (which is the absolute) is the highest law and each State may adopt a stricter stand. This law basically says NO tint or other color lenses/bulbs may be used for headlights, tail lights, signals, etc…. specific rules apply to emergency and construction vehicles for the use of such. Basically what it boils down to in “normal people” terms, is “smoked” covers are illegal unless they come from the factory approved by DOT.
With that said, does anyone know of any smoked tail lights/head lights that are DOT approved from the manufacturer? Do they exist? I’m really curious.

For example, if the lenses themselves are smoked versus just appearing that way because the housing is black.

Does anyone know if they make smoked tail/headlights that are DOT approved and legal?

 

Getting rear-ended sucks.

 

I got my tail lights tinted from the factory. They are RED.

Just like they should be.

 

I decided on the:
2016-2021 Toyota Tacoma 2020+ TRD PRO Style Black Out Rear Tail Lights Made by DEPO

The black housing with the LED tail lights that come with the Pro series. The ones by DEPO from USR has the Black Out Inner trim which has more Black out section compared to the 2016-2019 TRD Pro Tail Light. I wanted to get rid of the chrome but keep the clear lens instead of the smoked ones. Clean look that doesn’t impede the illumination of the tail lights and is only approximately $200. I’ll post pics of them installed on my cement taco once I get em. Purchased through Unique Style Racing (USR). I used a coupon code for a discount on them. I think the code was TACOMATRL but you can Google it to verify.
Edit: Here’s the coupon code: