Delaware Headlight & Wiper Law

When you light up in Delaware

Delaware bakes wipers into the main statute: § 4331 requires lights from sunset to sunrise, whenever fog, smoke, or rain is present, whenever your wipers run for weather, or any time you can't see persons or vehicles at 1,000 feet. The wiper clause is secondary enforcement — no stop for it alone. Fines run about $10 to $28.75 first offense, up to $100 after. DRLs don't count; switch to full headlamps.

Night, low visibility, and daytime

• Night: sunset to sunrise. Low visibility: 1,000 feet — any time insufficient light or unfavorable conditions keep persons and vehicles from being clearly discernible at 1,000 feet ahead. The statute also names fog, smoke, and rain directly.
• No standalone work-zone headlight statute; posted signs create the duty. DRLs aren't required and don't satisfy § 4331 — front lamps only, tail lamps dark. Use full headlamps. Dual lens: the wipers-in-use clause is written into § 4331 but is a secondary offense, so you can't be pulled over for it alone — yet the same section already requires lights whenever it's raining or foggy, which is a primary basis for the stop.

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