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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55516</law_id><section_number>46.2-1014</section_number><catch_line>Brake lights</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>46.2-1088.5</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Operation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="10">Motor Vehicle and Equipment Safety</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Lights and Turn Signals</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Every <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span>, <span class="dictionary">trailer</span>, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span>, except an antique vehicle not originally equipped with a brake <span class="dictionary">light</span>, registered in the Commonwealth and operated on the <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">highways</span></span> in the Commonwealth shall be equipped with at least two brake <span class="dictionary">lights</span> of a type approved by the <span class="dictionary">Superintendent</span>. Such brake <span class="dictionary">lights</span> shall automatically exhibit a red or amber <span class="dictionary">light</span> plainly visible in clear weather from a distance of 500 feet to the rear of such vehicle when the brake is applied.
			The provisions of this section shall not apply to <span class="dictionary">motorcycles</span> or <span class="dictionary">autocycles</span> equipped with brake <span class="dictionary">lights</span> as required by &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Headlights, auxiliary headlights, tail lights, brake lights, auxiliary lights, and illumination of license plates on motorcycles or autocycles" href="/46.2-1012/">46.2-1012</a>. <a id="paragraph-203475" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1014/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> No <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer</span> shall stop a <span class="dictionary">motor vehicle</span>, <span class="dictionary">trailer</span>, or <span class="dictionary">semitrailer</span> for a violation of this section, except that a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer</span> may stop a vehicle if it displays no brake <span class="dictionary">lights</span> that meet the requirements set forth in subsection A. No <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> discovered or obtained as the result of a stop in violation of this subsection, including <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> discovered or obtained with the <span class="dictionary">operator</span>&#x2019;s consent, shall be <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> in any <span class="dictionary">trial</span>, <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>, or other proceeding. <a id="paragraph-203476" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/46.2-1014/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1970, c. 17, &#xA7; 46.1-262.1; 1972, c. 6; 1989, c. 727; 2000, cc. 54, 63; 2003, c. 964; 2014, cc. 53, 256; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 45, 51.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
