You’re driving down I-70. It’s dark, maybe a little foggy, and you’ve got those extra LED bars or some festive holiday lights glowing to brighten things up. Suddenly, those red and blue flashers appear in your rearview. Most people think they’re getting pulled over for speeding, but lately, the kansas trooper excessive lighting stop has become a surprisingly common—and legally complex—headache for drivers.
Honestly, it’s not just about having "too many" lights. It’s about which colors you’re showing and which way they’re pointing.
Last year, a semi-truck driver in Topeka found this out the hard way. He had his rig decked out in holiday cheer, including red and blue lights on the front of the vehicle. While it looked great for a parade, a Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) trooper pulled him over and issued a citation. Why? Because Kansas law is incredibly strict about maintaining the "sanctity" of emergency signals. If you’re showing red or blue to the front, you’re basically impersonating a cop in the eyes of the law, even if you’re just trying to be festive.
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The Legal Reality of Kansas Lighting Laws
Kansas Statute 8-1729 is the rulebook here. It’s pretty blunt. You can't have any lamp or device capable of displaying a red light visible from directly in front of the center of the vehicle.
Wait, it gets more specific.
Only white and amber lights are allowed to shine toward the front. If you’ve got those fancy "ground effect" or underglow lights, they can’t be red, and the actual bulb or fixture can’t be visible. If a trooper can see the LED strip itself, that’s a violation. They call it "unauthorized additional lighting."
Why Troopers Target These Lights
It’s often a "pretextual stop."
That’s a fancy legal term for when an officer uses a minor equipment violation—like a flickering license plate light or an extra LED bar—to pull you over so they can look for something bigger. For years, the KHP was famous for the "Kansas Two-Step." This was a maneuver where a trooper would finish a stop, walk away, then "step" back to ask more questions, trying to get consent to search the car.
A federal judge actually stepped in and ordered the KHP to stop this practice in 2023, ruling it unconstitutional. However, the initial stop for something like "excessive lighting" is still usually legal as long as a genuine infraction exists.
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When a Mistake of Law Happens
Here is where things get weird. Can a trooper pull you over if they think your lights are illegal, but they actually aren't?
In the case of State v. Lees, a trooper pulled a driver over because his left brake light was out. But the car still had two working brake lights (the right one and the high-mount middle one). Kansas law only requires two working stop lamps. The court eventually ruled that the trooper made a "mistake of law."
Basically, if the trooper stops you for a lighting configuration that is actually legal under the statutes, any evidence they find afterward (like drugs or a DUI) might be thrown out. The Fourth Amendment protects you against "unreasonable" seizures, and stopping someone for following the law—even if the cop doesn't know the law—is often deemed unreasonable.
Common Lighting Violations That Trigger Stops
Most people don't realize how easy it is to break these rules. It’s not just about being "too bright."
- Color Confusion: Red and blue are strictly for emergency vehicles. Even "cool white" LEDs that have a bluish tint can sometimes get you flagged.
- The 300 Candlepower Rule: Any light (other than headlamps) that projects a beam with an intensity greater than 300 candlepower has to be directed so it doesn't hit the road more than 75 feet ahead.
- Off-Road Lights: Those massive light bars on Jeeps and trucks? In Kansas, they usually need to be covered while you’re on public highways. If they aren't covered and they're "capable" of being turned on, some troopers will use that as a reason to chat.
- The "Half-Working" Signal: If you have an aftermarket light setup where your turn signals are white instead of amber, you’re asking for a ticket.
What to Do If You're Pulled Over
If you find yourself staring at a trooper because of your lighting, stay cool. Don't argue the physics of lumens on the shoulder of the highway.
First, ask specifically what lighting statute you've violated. Troopers are trained to "develop" reasonable suspicion, but you have the right to know the basis of the stop. If they ask to search your car after giving you a warning for the lights, remember: you can say no. Since the 2023 injunction against the "Two-Step," KHP troopers are under much tighter scrutiny regarding how they transition from a traffic stop to a "consensual encounter."
Practical Steps to Stay Legal
If you want to avoid the kansas trooper excessive lighting stop altogether, do a quick audit of your rig tonight.
- Check your colors. Front-facing lights must be white or amber. Rear-facing must be red or amber (except for the white license plate light and backup lights).
- Hide the strips. If you have underglow, make sure the LED strips themselves are tucked behind a lip or frame rail.
- Cover the bars. If you have high-intensity off-road lights, put the plastic covers on them before hitting the pavement.
- Keep it simple. The more your car looks like a Christmas tree or a spaceship, the higher the "cop magnet" factor.
If you’ve already been cited and you believe your lighting was actually within the bounds of K.S.A. 8-1723 or 8-1729, take photos of the setup immediately. Measurements of where the light hits the ground and the specific colors used can be the difference between a dismissed ticket and a heavy fine. Most of these stops aren't about the ticket; they're about the interaction. By making sure your vehicle is "boring" to a trooper's eyes, you're protecting your Fourth Amendment rights before you even turn the key.