The Wilmington Morning Star

Lower Your Headlights

North Carolina's motor vehicle law specifies that drivers approaching other vehicles shall dim their headlights. Because so many drivers have either forgotten this requirement or are indifferent to it, the Wilmington police department has started a crusade to stop violations. It is intended to cite violators to court and impose the punishment provided by law.

To have full effect the state highway patrol and sheriff's deputies will have to participate in the crusade. In fact it is essential that they do so as the majority of offenses are committed outside police jurisdiction.

Careful drivers are continually endangered by approaching vehicles whose drivers refuse to lower their lights and speed past with the full power of their own headlights blinding drivers coming toward them.

So common is the offense that drivers are perpetually compelled to pull over to the highway shoulder or street curb and stop until the offending vehicle has gone on.

It is not merely automobile drivers who create the hazard. Both truck and bus drivers are equally guilty.

Police Chief Charles H. Casteen points out that it is mere courtesy to fellow drivers to lower headlights when approaching another vehicle. With the police, with cooperation of the state patrol and sheriff's deputies, placing offenders under arrest, it should not take long to eliminate this accident hazard, and night travel on streets and highways be safe for all drivers.