In modern life, xenon headlights are popular among car enthusiasts. According to the laws of our country, it is possible to install lamps in the headlights of a vehicle, which are provided for by the design and technical regulations. Consider what is the fine for xenon in 2018 and can it be avoided?
Even the very first cars were equipped with optics - headlights, other lighting devices.
It all started with vacuum tubes filled with gas. Then there were halogen bulbs. And the most progressive sources of illumination are xenon headlights.
A xenon lamp is a light source that does not have an incandescent filament; it contains xenon gas and mixtures of various inert gases.
Many may wonder what is the difference between halogen headlights and xenon headlights. Essentially, the halogen uses a filament that provides light when heated. In the case of xenon, there is no such filament, but you can detect the light that appears due to the gas. Xenon shines brighter, its service life is longer. In addition, xenon light is more pleasing to the eye.
Important! According to its characteristics, xenon headlights are much better than standard halogen. Since such light is much more extensive, has clarity and better illuminates the road in all weather conditions.
But why then can they take a fine for installing this type of light bulbs:
- Firstly, this is due to the fact that the light from xenon interferes with the drivers of vehicles that are driving towards them. In other words, he blinds those around him. Improperly adjusted headlights can be the root cause of a traffic accident.
- Secondly, the optics must be adjusted so that the greatest brightness of the light beam is in the center of the light stream. If such bulbs are mounted in such headlights, then a bright spot will appear in front of the car, blinding the driver. It is also fraught with unpleasant consequences.
Technical requirements
The installation of xenon is not completely prohibited; in order to use this type of optics, you must follow a number of rules. First of all, you should pay attention to the marking of the headlights.
The main headlight markings that allow the installation of xenon:
- DC / DR - this marking provides information that the headlights are equipped with separate compartments for low and high beams. Xenon can be installed in any compartment.
- DCR - means that the optics is equipped with a single lamp for high and low beam. Such headlights are called dual-mode. Xenon installation is allowed.
- DC / HR - if your headlights are marked like that, then you can only put xenon in the high beam compartment.
- HC / HR - such optics are installed on Japanese-made cars. You can install xenon. But there is one caveat, cars from Europe can come with the same marking, in which case it says that xenon cannot be installed.
Attention! In order not to be fined for installing xenon, you need to insert a separate block into the headlight, which consists of a reflector, a lens and a lamp connector. Such an installation will allow to achieve a stream of light that meets the requirements of GOST.
In addition, xenon optics are necessarily supplied with high-pressure windshield washers.
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This need is explained by the laws of optics, from which it can be concluded that light passing through dirty glass blinds more than through transparent glass.
Where can these lamps be placed?
Many drivers are wondering if it is possible to put xenon in fog lights and in reverse?
In such cases, requirements similar to the requirements for the installation of main headlights are observed.
Important! If the installation of these lamps is not provided for by the design of the car, then any changes will be declared illegal.
In practice, fines for xenon in PTF are rarely imposed. Since it is quite difficult to recognize such a violation visually. Traffic police officers pay more attention to low beam headlights.
Penalty for illegal installation of xenon in 2018
There is no specific ban on the use of this type of headlight.
However, for non-compliance with the law and neglect of the technical regulations for the installation of xenon, penalties such as:
- Traffic police fine for xenon in the amount of 500 rubles.
- Forced liquidation of devices that were installed independently and illegally.
- Imposing a ban on driving a vehicle - deprivation of a driver's license for a period of six months.
Recently, headlights that use xenon have caused a lot of controversy. Proponents point out that such lamps give more light, consume less energy and generally look beautiful and stylish.
Opponents point out that cars with xenon in conventional headlights and fog lights blind those who move towards them, which leads to accidents and casualties, which means they should be fined.
Just a few years ago, this question was literally “hanging in the air”. Traffic police officers and traffic rules did not give a clear answer why xenon is prohibited, who can use it, how to legalize headlights with xenon lamps, what will happen if this is not done, and how to avoid deprivation of rights for xenon.
Fortunately, now this issue has been completely sorted out, and we can talk about who can use xenon, why such headlights were banned. And also what is the penalty in 2017 and how much will you have to pay if the traffic police inspector determines that this type of headlight is installed on the car.
Let's take a look at everything in order, considering different options and cases.
Why do car owners put such lamps at all?
Xenon lamps installed in the headlights or fog lights of a car give a light that is very similar to daylight.
As a result, all objects can be seen much more clearly, the eyes do not get tired of peering into the darkness, visibility is much better under different weather conditions.
In addition, the beam of light is much wider, and this improves visibility, allowing the driver to easily distinguish what is happening on the side of the road.
If xenon headlights are correctly mounted on a car, he will most likely notice a person at the edge of the road even at night.
It is also important that such a lighting device consumes less energy, and its service life exceeds the standard one by 5-10 times.
Why are xenon headlights banned?
Given the above, it would seem that the legislators of the country, on the contrary, should force all car owners to install xenon in the headlights of vehicles. However, in practice the situation is different. Traffic police inspectors are not just issued a fine for xenon in 2017, but are even deprived of their rights and the ability to drive a vehicle.
Because the real visibility of the road depends not only on the type of lamp, but also on the design of the headlight itself!
That is, when developing headlights for vehicles, designers immediately take into account which lamps will be mounted there. Under this case, reflectors and the direction of light (angle of inclination) are correctly selected.
When self-installing a xenon lamp in a regular car headlight, a simple motorist, of course, does not take this into account. He just likes that he will have fashionable, beautiful headlights that shine brightly.
This raises a number of problems:
- Blindness.
- The light of xenon lamps in the headlights and fog lamps dazzles other road users.
- This happens for the reason that reflectors designed for halogen lamps direct xenon light not on the road, but above. As a result, by the way, the “happy” owner of newfangled headlights will also suffer - after all, it is with a high degree of probability that a blinded oncoming car will crash into him.
- Incorrect road lighting.
- The xenon headlights do not illuminate the road well enough. Yes, from the outside it seems that xenon is very bright. But due to the specifics of the design of a conventional headlight, the reflectors direct the beam of light much closer to the car. Lighting distance drops.
- Extra shadows.
- The bright xenon light creates additional shadows of a rich dark color on the road, which a motorist can take for a pit, hillock or any other obstacle. Unexpectedly noticing such a surprise in front of them, many sharply turn the steering wheel to the side, endangering themselves and other road users.
That is why the use of xenon headlights is prohibited at the legislative level!
And many drivers are interested in the question of what the fine is for the installed xenon. But, as we noted above, there is no fine for xenon - they can immediately deprive you of the right to drive a car.
Fines and penalties in 2017
It is worth noting that there is no direct ban on the use of xenon, so you can’t find out what the fine for xenon is. That is, there is not a single legislative act or regulatory document that says - "xenon cannot be used." Accordingly, it is not written anywhere what a fine will be issued and how much the car owner will have to pay using this type of headlight.
However, this does not mean that this type of lamp can be freely used. Because fines and other penalties are provided for under a broader article of traffic rules in Russia.
This is a list of malfunctions of lighting devices, in which the operation of a car or other vehicle is not allowed.
This list states that:
- it is impossible to operate the car if it has headlights, foglights or other lighting devices that are not provided by the vehicle manufacturer;
- you can’t drive a car if the headlight adjustment does not comply with GOST;
- the vehicle must not be used if the lenses, reflectors and lamps do not match the type of headlight.
Speaking in simple Russian, only such lamps can be installed inside the headlights that are allowed by the manufacturer of the car. And if you do not adhere to this rule, then there will not even be a fine, but a more serious punishment. So how to avoid fine for xenon?
In 2016, part 3 of article No. 12-5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Russia states that for driving a car on which lighting devices are mounted that are not provided for by the original design of the car or any other means of transportation, the driver may be punished in the form of deprivation of the right to drive for a period of 6 to 12 months. In this case, there is no penalty at all.
Important! For illegal use of xenon - deprivation of rights for up to 1 year!
Moreover, in some cases, another article can be applied. Part 1 of Article 12-4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Russia says that for installing retroreflective devices in front of the car that give a red effect, a fine of 3,000 rubles will be imposed (for officials up to 20,000 rubles; for legal entities up to 500,000 rubles). In this case, the lighting devices themselves will be confiscated.
In the same article, in principle, it is indicated that a similar fine awaits citizens who violate the rules for installing lighting devices that do not meet the requirements for allowing cars to operate.
That is, if an employee of the state traffic inspectorate catches a car with xenon, which will be driven by its owner, then theoretically he will be able to apply two articles to the violator - “for installation” and “for control”. In this case, the case will end with a large fine and deprivation of a driver's license.
Is it legal to drive with xenon?
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Considering the above, it is necessary to understand - is xenon allowed in Russia?
The answer to this question is yes, it is allowed! Traffic police fines for xenon are not assigned if such headlights were installed by the vehicle manufacturer. Or similar headlights allow the use of lamps with xenon inside.
The traffic police officer will check the information, make sure that the installation of xenon is provided for by the design of the car and will not issue a fine.
By the way, in foglights, such headlights are marked with the corresponding symbols:
- C, R, CR - only incandescent lamps are allowed
- HCR - only halogen headlights can be installed in the headlights and similar xenon in fogs eliminates the penalty.
- DC - marking indicates that xenon is allowed for dipped beam
- DR - exactly the same headlights, but for high beams
- DCR - can be used for both near and far lighting
Accordingly, the owner of the vehicle can only check whether the foglights allow the use of xenon lamps and, if the answer is yes, feel free to drive on the roads of the country. In this case, they are not entitled to issue a fine. But for abnormal xenon, punishment will follow.
Until the beginning of 2014, there were provisions and orders of the Ministry of Internal Affairs that allowed xenon to be legalized on domestic cars. Then it was necessary to collect a lot of certificates and documents, apply for a permit, and so on. As a result, xenon was legalized, which guaranteed that they would not issue a fine.
Many motorists, for old times' sake, believe that the provisions are still valid. Unfortunately, this is far from reality!
Order No. 1123 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia dated February 22, 2014 stops any opportunities for such actions.
And if you stopped with xenon?
You can try to avoid punishment. True, it is not so easy to do this in Russia.
It is important to understand here that in order to prove that xenon is illegally installed on the car, the inspector needs to look at the headlight markings. This, in turn, requires a number of actions, the main of which is opening the hood.
According to the laws of the Russian Federation, this is already a car inspection. Which means:
- The presence of two witnesses or video recording in real time is required.
- The traffic police officer must explain in detail the rights, duties, responsibilities and appeal procedure.
The first paragraph must be demanded immediately, pointing to paragraph 2 of Article No. 27-9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Russia. In the absence of attesting witnesses, record this in the protocol.
It’s better not to point out the second point right away, but when signing the protocol, in the paragraph “Obligations and rights are clarified”, we write “Rights and obligations are not clarified”. Of course, if this was not done.
In addition, the protocol contains the item “Explanations of the face”. It must write “I do not agree with the violation. I need a lawyer's help."
If everything is done correctly, then there are good chances to appeal a fine or deprivation of rights in court and.
Recently, representatives of the State traffic inspectorate have been paying close attention. Much to the annoyance of drivers, cars with such headlights are stopped quite often, and often this ends with the deprivation of rights and confiscation of headlights.
Such actions of traffic police officers are by no means a whim, but an important security measure. Many cars initially have xenon headlights, but other cases are of interest to inspectors: when xenon lamps were installed by the driver himself. It is these car owners who are held accountable.
Is xenon officially banned?
Xenon headlights appeal to many drivers, and for several reasons. Firstly, xenon lamps consume much less energy compared to conventional "halogens". Second, they last much longer. But this is not the main thing. The main advantages of xenon headlights are related to the quality of lighting. The light emitted by xenon lamps is close to daylight in its characteristics. It provides excellent visibility even in difficult weather conditions such as snowfall, rain and even fog. All objects differ much more clearly, and this applies not only to the road itself, but also to the roadsides.
Obviously, there is no and will not be an official ban on xenon, because many modern models are equipped with just this type of lighting devices. Why is he often forced to remove from cars? There is one important condition here: the design of the headlights must be designed specifically for the use of xenon lamps. After all, visibility on the road depends not only on the type of lamp, but also on the design of the headlights. The wrong choice of bulbs only worsens the performance of the headlights - and this is exactly what many drivers who install xenon do not take into account.
Self-installation of xenon bulbs in headlights designed for "halogens" is equated to a car malfunction. To be more precise, this is a discrepancy between the lighting devices used and the design of the car. And according to the rules, cars with such a “discrepancy” should not be in operation, as they pose a serious threat to road safety. Thus, the use of xenon is not prohibited by law, but in some cases it is unacceptable.
What problems do xenon lamps pose?
Illegal, or so-called. "Collective farm" xenon creates two main problems on the road:
- Its bright light blinds drivers of oncoming and passing vehicles. This is due to reflectors designed for halogen lamps, which scatter xenon rays too much on the sides.
- Due to the same mismatched reflectors, the light from the xenon headlights falls too close to the car, which ultimately only reduces the visibility of the road for the driver himself.
It is obvious that the listed nuances create uncomfortable conditions for all road users. The blinding light of xenon lamps impairs visibility for oncoming drivers so much that it may well provoke a serious accident.
Xenon fine in 2017
Xenon can only be used in two cases:
- if these are “native” headlights installed at the factory;
- if we are talking about foggy headlights, which provide for the use of xenon bulbs.
In all other cases, the driver will be held administratively liable. Firstly, it is highly likely that it will be for a period of 6 to 12 months. In addition, the lights themselves will be confiscated.
If xenon headlights are provided on a certain model, this will be evidenced by a special marking and a sign applied to the headlight lens. The owner only needs to show it to the traffic police inspector, and there will be no questions for him.
But if the stopped car has not just "illegal" xenon headlights, but also red lamps, it will not do without a monetary penalty. In 2017, the fine for red xenon is:
- 3,000 rubles for ordinary citizens, with subsequent confiscation;
- for officials responsible for the use of the vehicle - from 15,000 to 20,000 rubles and confiscation;
- for legal entities - seizure of headlights and a fine in the amount of 400,000 to 500,000 rubles.
By the way, here it is worth mentioning the LED lamps that are installed on the roof of cars. A driver who turns on such a lamp while driving on the highway also has every chance of losing his license. The fact is that such a lamp is intended exclusively for moving through the forest, in the mountains and in general in any area that does not fall under the definition of "public space". A brightly burning LED lamp, like illegally used xenon, can cause major accidents on the highway.
How to communicate with the traffic police inspector?
In a common situation, when traffic police officers stop cars with xenon headlights, a lot depends on. How to act in such cases in order to avoid deprivation of rights and a fine?
Confiscation of headlights and other penalties can be avoided if done correctly. First of all, it is worth writing down the data of the traffic police inspector, asking him to show the certificate in expanded form (you will also need the number of his badge). If the case goes to court, this information can be very useful.
It is impossible to determine by eye whether xenon was installed independently. To do this, you need to look under the hood of the car. And if a vehicle is searched, it is necessary that the process be recorded on camera or two witnesses be present.
Next, the traffic police officer will draw up a protocol on the inspection and enter into it all the data received. At the same time, he must explain to the owner of the car his rights. He is also obliged to mention that an appeal of the protocol is allowed (and to tell how and where this can be done). Before signing the protocol, the driver must make a note that he does not recognize the violation. So he will have a chance to win the proceedings in court.
It should be noted right away that if it comes to litigation, the advantage is usually on the side of the traffic police. Car owners often have to work hard to prove their innocence.
Conclusion
Based on the foregoing, a brief summary can be drawn: if the use of xenon headlights is not technically provided for a particular model, then most likely their installation on a car is a futile risk. It is highly likely that this will not only be a waste of money, but will also entail a more serious problem in the form of deprivation of rights for a long time.
In addition, contrary to popular misconception, the installation of "collective farm" xenon does not improve the quality of road illumination. But if the design of the headlights involves the use of just this type of lamp, you can safely take advantage of all their advantages without fear of claims from the traffic police.
Deprivation of rights for xenon for 2020 is a rather unlikely prospect if this xenon is installed on a car that is not intended for this. If xenon headlights were not installed from the factory, then in order to install it, the car must be equipped with an auto-leveling headlight, a headlight washer, and the headlights themselves must be marked specifically for the installation of xenon. Otherwise, the rights can be deprived of 90 percent.
But, most importantly, the mode of operation of xenon lighting devices also complies with the Basic Provisions. The fact is that these provisions do not regulate the mode of operation itself. However, the closest regulatory act to the SDA, which gives an understanding of what the mode of operation is, is the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union, which tells us that the mode of operation of lighting devices can be constant or flashing. That is, the mode of operation of the headlights is not their type, but the order of their operation for an external observer: they either shine the same constantly, or blink. For example, a fuel truck has an orange flashing flasher on the roof.
Thus, both the mode of operation and the color of the lights in xenon do not violate the law. Therefore, it is illegal to deprive rights for xenon under Part 3 of Article 12.5.
How to avoid deprivation for xenon?
To avoid deprivation of rights for installing xenon, you do not need to look for any loopholes for 2020. We explained above that the maximum that can be provided for illegally installed xenon is a fine in the amount of rubles.
Your job is to correctly explain all this to the judge considering the case. The trouble here is that district judges who impose deprivation for xenon in the first instance when considering cases according to the protocols of traffic police officers, most often do not even want to listen to the person involved. Alas, but, most likely, you will have to appeal the decision of such judges to higher courts.
If, nevertheless, they are attracted to deprivation, then how to re-qualify for a fine?
So, 12.5.3 provides for a fork of a fine or deprivation of rights for xenon. How do we understand what we will get from this when attracting?
Mitigating circumstances that increase the likelihood of a fine include:
- driver's remorse and admission of guilt, a promise to remove xenon or dismantled xenon already at the time of the court hearing;
- surrender (if you yourself stopped and confessed to the inspector that you have illegally installed xenon);
- a description of all circumstances in the case;
- driving a xenon car by a pregnant woman or a woman with a young child.
Aggravating circumstances that increase the likelihood of deprivation include:
- failure to comply with the requirement to stop the offense;
- if you have repeatedly come across with xenon;
- if at the time of detection of xenon you were drunk or refused a medical examination;
- this is not in the article, but in judicial practice the attention of the judge is drawn to this - the presence of any traffic police fines.
Can I install xenon and not lose my license?
We have already said above that in order to install xenon, if it is not supplied as standard, the car must meet certain requirements: it must have headlight washers and an auto-corrector for their angle of inclination, as well as appropriate markings.
If your car is equipped with the first two parts, then it is also easy to understand whether the headlight marking allows the installation of xenon. You only need to find the markings on the headlights and isolate the abbreviations given in the table below.
| Marking | Description | Is it possible to install xenon? |
|---|---|---|
| DC/DR | Such a headlight is equipped with lamps separately for low beam and high beam. Both lamps can be xenon | Yes |
| DCR | Similar to the previous paragraph, only one lamp is used for the low beam and high beam, and it can also be xenon | Yes |
| HR or DC | In such a headlight, only a dipped beam lamp is provided for installing xenon. There are two of them in total - it is forbidden to install xenon in the high beam. | Only in the near |
| HR/HC | This marking is applied to cars of Japanese and European brands. So, if you have such a marking, and you have a Japanese car, then you can put xenon in such a headlight. But if the European - it is impossible. | Conditionally yes |
Cancellation (termination) of registration for xenon
In recent years, the traffic police has been practicing such a form of punishment as the cancellation of a car's registration for non-compliance with its technical regulations. Most often, the practice of terminating registration can be found for installing HBO (converting a car to gas), a kenguryatnik and the like - the main thing for this is that the car be converted. The installation of xenon, if xenon is not provided by the manufacturer, is a conversion of the car, since a component is installed on it that does not correspond to the level of safety tested on this car model.
Therefore, xenon can also cancel the registration of a car. How does this happen? Most often, you simply receive a notification from the traffic police by mail that the registration of your car has been terminated due to the installation of xenon. Before that, of course, you had to be caught with xenon (and, most likely, more than once). Also, with the notice, a requirement will come to provide the car for inspection at the traffic police - just as if you had driven the car for inspection when buying for registration.
If you do not do this, then when your documents are scanned by the traffic police officer who stopped you once and sees the termination of registration, for the first time he will issue a fine in the amount of 500 rubles under Part 1 of Article 12.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. For the second time, you are already waiting for a fork from a fine of 5,000 rubles or deprivation of rights for 1-3 months. At the same time, (pink plastic) and license plate will be confiscated from you.
Alas, the cancellation of registration is essentially, although absurd, but quite legal. This right is given by clause 50 of Order No. 399 " On the procedure for registering vehicles".
Many car owners equip their vehicles with xenon headlights without even knowing that they are breaking the law. In addition, recently publications began to appear in online publications, reporting that the installation of xenon in 2019 was allowed by the Supreme Court. Let's dispel the misconceptions. Xenon headlights are prohibited, with a few exceptions. Bloggers misinterpreted the Supreme Court ruling. The Supreme Court only noted that the punishment for xenon does not correspond to the nature of the offense, and lighter penalties may be applied to motorists.
To eliminate misunderstanding, consider the responsibility for installing xenon headlights in more detail.
The misunderstanding of this point is due to the fact that the law does not have a clearly formulated statement about the prohibition of xenon. Therefore, when punishing drivers for xenon, traffic inspectors and courts operate with the fact that traffic rules oblige drivers to install lighting devices that correspond to the design of the car. In addition, punishment is provided for driving a car in the front of which there are lighting devices that create a red light or their operation and light output do not meet the established requirements.
Despite the vagueness of the wording, xenon headlights fall under the definitions listed above, therefore, they cannot be installed independently.
To better understand the chain of application of punishment, the following chain can be given:
- Inconsistency of lighting fixtures with the design of the car.
- Non-compliance of lighting sources with technical regulations.
In addition to the second point, we give the following classification of lighting sources:
- Halogen lamps - H.
- Xenon - D.
- LED - LED.
The admissibility of installing one or another lamp is indicated in the marking of the headlight. For example, if the manufacturer indicated the HCR marking, this means that the low and high beam headlights are designed for halogen lamps only. If a motorist installs a xenon light bulb, this constitutes an administrative offense.
Why xenon is banned
Under the concept of xenon lamps, gas-discharge lamps are hidden, with a bright luminous flux. Thanks to this solution, the headlight illuminates the roadway with high quality, and increases road safety in extreme conditions. In addition, such headlights are durable, and on average can last about 3-5 years.
However, in this barrel of honey there is also a fly in the ointment, which became the reason for the ban on xenon lamps. There are two negative points here:
Note that the listed nuances are relevant for handicraft installed lamps. If xenon is installed at the factory, there are no shortcomings in gas discharge lamps.
Which bulbs are the best
This question worries many car owners. In fact, xenon lamps are really better: they give a brighter light. However, the quality of illumination of the roadway depends not only on the light source, but also on the design of the headlight. Factory elements intended for the installation of gas discharge lamps are equipped with filters, reflectors and washers. Only such completeness gives advantages when installing xenon.
Comparison of xenon and halogen headlights
In auto repair shops that put xenon lamps in halogen headlights, they don’t bother with such subtleties, so the effect is the opposite. Xenon blinds drivers and worsens visibility on the road. That is why bans on the use of such lighting devices were introduced.
Penalties
Curiously, the penalties for fitting xenon headlights vary greatly. The minimum penalty that an offender can count on is a fine of 500 rubles. This is possible in cases where the offense will be classified under Part 1 of Art. Code of Administrative Offenses, which provides for punishment for driving a vehicle with technical malfunctions that prohibit operation. However, you can count on such luck only if you have a good lawyer, and even then, not always.
In most cases, car owners are fined under Art. Part 1, which provides for punishment for the installation in the front of the car of lighting devices with an inappropriate mode of operation or color of lights. In accordance with this document, drivers face a fine in the amount of:
- Civilians - 3,000 rubles.
- Officials - 15,000-20,000 rubles.
- Legal - 400,000-500,000 rubles.
In addition, the legislator provides for the confiscation of devices that caused the offense.
On a note! If the car owner only recently purchased a car, and did not know about the installed xenon or did not have time to eliminate the violation, this does not relieve him of responsibility.
Deprivation of rights for xenon headlights
Perhaps this is the biggest injustice for violators. If the offense is classified under Part 3 of Art. : installation in the front of the car lighting devices with a red luminous flux or working in violation of established requirements.
In this case, deprivation of rights is applied as a punishment for a period of 6-12 months. Lighting devices installed in violation are also subject to confiscation.
Are there exceptions to the rules
Such a possibility is indeed envisaged. Exceptions to the general rule are made in two cases:
- Discharge lamps are installed in the fog lamps.
- The car initially comes with standard xenon, and the TCP indicates the possibility of installing class D lighting devices.
In these cases, the application of penalties to drivers is considered unlawful.
What to do if a fine is issued for xenon
The first thing to understand is that arguing with the inspector on the spot is useless. The decision on punishment is made by the court, the traffic police officer only records the fact of the offense, and draws up a protocol on this matter.
- Write down the number of the inspector's service certificate, including the number of the badge.
- Ensure that the inspection of the car is carried out in accordance with the established rules: video filming, the presence of two witnesses.
- Indicate in the protocol the fact of your disagreement with the claims made, indicating the reasons.
Here it is necessary to clarify that one should not refuse to sign the protocol. It does not give any advantage in subsequent litigation. It is better to immediately designate your civic position. In our case, this is disagreement with the actions of the traffic police inspector.
Important! It will be possible to challenge the fine for xenon only in court. At the same time, it is important to take into account that the judge personally will not inspect the car, but will be guided only by the data indicated in the protocol. Therefore, initially you need to monitor the correctness and correctness of filling out the document.
An important role is played by the observance of the legality of the inspection procedure. For example, it is possible to determine that xenon lamps are installed in the headlights only at a specially equipped traffic police post. If the car was just inspected on the road, this will be a significant argument in favor of the driver. The main thing is to note this nuance in the protocol being drawn up.
In addition, many courts note a violation of the headlight operation mode when replacing a halogen lamp with a gas discharge lamp. It is this wording that is indicated in the article of the Code of Administrative Offenses. However, there is a legal issue here. In particular, the operating mode of an external light device is divided into two types: flashing and constant. Halogen, xenon and LED lamps are classified as light fixtures, and their interchangeability does not affect the operation of the device. For example, if the driver installs a gas discharge lamp instead of a halogen lamp, the headlight will not work in the flashing beacon mode, but will continue to shine with a constant light.
It follows that the use of xenon is not an offense under the article of the Code of Administrative Offenses, part 3, because the mode of operation of the headlight and the color of the light flux have not changed. Knowing these subtleties, you can avoid deprivation of a driver's license.
What happens if you don't pay the fine on time?
There are two important things to keep in mind here.
- Firstly, it is better to pay the fine within 20 days from the date of the relevant decision. This will help you save money and get a 50% discount. This practice has been in place in Russia for a long time, and encourages drivers to pay the fines imposed on them on time.
- Secondly, the fine must be paid within 60 days, this period also includes the deadlines for appealing the decision.
If this requirement is not complied with, penalties will be aggravated. For starters, the amount of the fine increases, and you will have to pay it twice. If this measure does not work, the perpetrator may face:
- Administrative arrest for up to 15 days.
- Up to 50 hours of mandatory work.
The application of such sanctions does not exempt from the need to repay the existing debt. In addition, the law provides for compulsory collection, including at the expense of property owned by the debtor. An additional reason to pay fines on time is the fact that such debtors are not released abroad, which can ruin a long-planned vacation.