Flashing Your Lights in WA? Whoops! You Just Broke the Law

I am thankful I have the kind of car that has automatic headlights. (I just love modern technology!)

HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING: Let’s say, it's the other night and I'm driving down the road and noticed a car in front of me in the opposite lane was driving with their headlights off.

My first instinct was to flash my headlights at them as a friendly way of saying, "HEY, YA WEIRDO! TURN YOUR LIGHTS ON!”

Well, if a cop had witnessed me do that, whoops, I would have gotten in trouble because I just broke the law! HYPOTHETICALLY, of course.

KIDS, that’s why you should always drive with your lights on when you’re on your way to magic school.

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WHY ISN’T IT LEGAL TO FLASH YOUR LIGHTS IN WASHINGTON STATE?

Since 1963, it’s been in the Washington state law books that a driver can’t have high beams on within 500 feet of an oncoming car. (That’s about 5 Mississippies, if you’re counting.) Basically, if you’re on a city street or side street and you flash lights at somebody, hmm, okay, I’m not too thrilled to report this part: You’re too close to be flashing your headlights.

Either people are being purposely obtuse and rude, not to mention dangerous when they don't drive with their lights on, or they genuinely don’t realize they have their headlights off. I have done this many times in past car lives.

It’s also illegal to flash lights as a warning of impending speed traps or drive with your high beams on near other cars (unless you’re 500 ft away). That last part makes me a bit nervous because on the freeway, sometimes it’s so dark on the pavement you can’t see any of the road lines! UGH.

I’m still waiting on my self-driving flying car though.

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Source: Can I Legally Flash My Headlights at Someone in WA State?