Wisconsin Code § 347.26

Restrictions on certain optional lighting equipment
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(1) GENERAL RESTRICTIONS. A vehicle need not
be equipped with the lamps specified in this section, but if a vehicle is equipped with any such lamps, no person shall operate such
vehicle on a highway during hours of darkness unless such lamps
comply with the requirements of this section and no person shall
use such lamps in a manner inconsistent with this section.
(2) SPOTLAMPS. (a) Any motor vehicle may be equipped
with not more than 2 spotlamps.
(b) No spotlamp shall be used as a substitute for headlamps.
No spotlamp shall be used as an auxiliary driving light on any
motor vehicle except when such spotlamp is set or adjusted so
that the rays of light are projected directly upon the road surface
at a distance not exceeding 150 feet directly in front of the vehicle
and to the right of the center of the traveled roadway. No spot-

lamp shall project any glaring light into the eyes of an approaching driver.
(3) ADVERSE WEATHER LAMPS. (a) Any motor vehicle may
be equipped with not more than 2 adverse weather lamps which
shall be mounted on the front of the vehicle below the level of the
centers of the headlamps.
(b) Adverse weather lamps shall not be used in lieu of headlamps unless absolutely necessary in case of rain, snow, dust or
fog and then only when a vehicle is equipped with 2 adverse
weather lamps mounted on opposite sides of the front of the vehicle and when both such adverse weather lamps are lighted.
Whenever any vehicle is equipped with only one adverse weather
lamp, both headlamps of such vehicle shall be lighted at all times
when such adverse weather lamp is lighted.
(4) BACK-UP LAMPS. (a) Any motor vehicle may be equipped
with not more than 2 back-up lamps which shall be so directed as
to project a white or amber light illuminating the roadway to the
rear of such vehicle for a distance not to exceed 75 feet.
(b) No lighted back-up lamp shall be displayed on any vehicle
upon a highway except when such vehicle is about to be or is being driven backward. Whenever a back-up lamp is lighted during
hours of darkness, the tail lamp or tail lamps on the vehicle displaying such lighted back-up lamp also shall be lighted.
(5) IDENTIFICATION LAMPS ON TAXICABS AND BUSES. No
person shall operate a motor vehicle regularly used for transporting passengers for hire displaying any lighting device for identification purposes other than a single illuminated sign or lighted
lamp mounted above the top line of the windshield, colored
white, amber or green. Such illuminated sign or lamp shall be so
constructed as to emit a steady or flashing nonglaring light.
(6) WARNING LAMPS ON TOW TRUCKS AND SERVICE VEHICLES. (a) Any vehicle which by reason of its use upon a highway
creates a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual
care in approaching, overtaking or passing shall be equipped with
a flashing or rotating amber lamp of the dome type at the highest
practicable point, visible from a distance of 500 feet, or 2 flashing amber lamps, one showing to the front and one showing to the
rear, visible from a distance of 500 feet and mounted approximately midway between the extremities of the width of the vehicle and at the highest practicable point. Such amber lamp or
lamps shall be lighted when such vehicle is moving a disabled vehicle along or upon a public highway at a speed below the average
speed of motor vehicle traffic on such street or highway and may
not be lit at other times.
(b) Operators of tow trucks or towing vehicles shall equip
each tow truck or towing vehicle with a flashing or rotating red
lamp, in addition to flashing type amber lamps. Such lamp shall
be placed on the dome of the vehicle at the highest practicable
point visible from a distance of 500 feet. This flashing red lamp
shall be used only when such vehicle is standing on or near the
traveled portion of a highway preparatory to towing or servicing
the disabled vehicle.
(7) WARNING LAMPS ON CERTAIN HIGHWAY VEHICLES. Any
vehicle of the department or a county or municipal highway department that by reason of its use upon a highway creates a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in approaching, overtaking, or passing may be equipped with any of
the following configurations of flashing red, amber, or green
lamps:
(a) A lamp of the dome-light type.
(b) Two lamps, one showing to the front and one showing to
the rear. The lamps shall be mounted approximately midway between the extremities of the width of the vehicle and at the highest practicable point and shall be used only for the purpose of
warning operators of other vehicles of the presence of the traffic
hazard.
(c) Four lamps, 2 showing to the front and 2 showing to the
rear. The lamps showing to the front shall be mounted at the
same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable. The
lamps showing to the rear shall be mounted at the same level and
as widely spaced laterally as practicable.
(8) WARNING LAMPS FOR MAIL DELIVERY VEHICLES. Any vehicle used for mail delivery may be equipped with a flashing amber lamp or strobe light mounted at the highest practicable point
and showing to the front and rear that may be used only to warn
other motorists of the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in approaching, overtaking or
passing when the vehicle is being used to deliver mail.
(9) WARNING LAMPS ON PUBLIC UTILITY AND COOPERATIVE
VEHICLES. (a) Subject to par. (b), any vehicle of a public utility,
as defined in s. 196.01 (5) , telecommunications carrier, as defined in s. 196.01 (8m), or cooperative association organized under ch. 185 for the purpose of producing or furnishing heat, light,
power, or water to its members that by reason of its use upon a
highway creates a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise
of unusual care in approaching, overtaking, or passing may be
equipped with any of the following configurations of flashing
amber or green lamps:
1. A lamp of the dome-light type.
2. Two lamps, one showing to the front and one showing to
the rear. The lamps shall be mounted approximately midway between the extremities of the width of the vehicle and at the highest practicable point and shall be used only for the purpose of
warning operators of other vehicles of the presence of the traffic
hazard. If the mounting of lamps midway between the extremities of the width of the vehicle is impracticable because of the vehicle’s design, then the mountings shall be made at or near the upper left front and rear corners of the vehicle.
3. Four lamps, 2 showing to the front and 2 showing to the
rear. The lamps showing to the front shall be mounted at the
same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable. The
lamps showing to the rear shall be mounted at the same level and
as widely spaced laterally as practicable.
(b) In this paragraph, “maintenance and restoration of utility
service” means the immediate restoration of a utility service that
is outside the normal parameters of general maintenance or construction when damage or interruption of service has been caused
to utility infrastructure by adverse weather or other events and
that requires utility crews to park utility vehicles in the roadway
or on the shoulder of the roadway. No person may use flashing
green lamps under par. (a) unless the vehicle upon which the
lamps are mounted is operated for the purpose of maintenance
and restoration of utility service.
(10) FLASHING AMBER LIGHT ON OVERSIZE VEHICLE. Any
vehicle moving on the highway pursuant to an oversize permit issued under s. 348.25, 348.26 or 348.27 may be equipped with a
flashing amber dome light upon the cab of such vehicle or with
double faced flashing amber light mounted along the sides of
such vehicle mounted and used when the movement is oversize.
(11) FLASHING WARNING LAMPS. (a) Any vehicle may be
equipped with lamps which may be used for the purpose of warning the operators of other vehicles of the presence of a vehicular
traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in approaching, overtaking or passing, and when so equipped may display
such warning in addition to any other warning signals required by
this section. The lamps used to display such warning to the front
shall be mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally
as practicable, and shall display simultaneously flashing white or
amber lights, or any shade of color between white and amber.

The lamps used to display such warning to the rear shall be
mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable, and shall show simultaneously flashing amber or red
lights, or any shade of color between amber and red. These warning lights shall be visible from a distance of not less than 500 feet
under normal atmospheric conditions at night. Directional signals meeting the requirements of this chapter shall be used or
lamps meeting these requirements, mounted so as to comply with
turn signal installation.
(am) In addition to any other lamps authorized under this subsection, a motor truck having a gross vehicle weight rating of
more than 26,000 pounds may be equipped with a 360-degree
flashing or rotating amber light mounted at the highest practicable point. The flashing or rotating amber lamp may be lighted
only when the motor truck is upon a highway having a maximum
speed limit of more than 35 miles per hour and the motor truck is
traveling 10 or more miles per hour below the maximum speed
limit, is stopped, or is backing on such highway. The flashing or
rotating amber lamp may not be lit at other times.
(b) Whenever any vehicle other than an automobile, which is
equipped as permitted in par. (a), is stopped for more than 10
minutes on the traveled portion of any highway, or shoulder
thereof, during hours of darkness, the driver of such vehicle shall
display warning signals as required by s. 347.29.

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