By admin 
When passing a cop on the shoulder of the road, you might be tempted to warn other drivers.
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Some motorists flicker their headlights to alert others to speed traps, DUI checkpoints or other law enforcement activity up ahead.
When is flashing your high beams allowed under California law? Can you get a ticket for keeping other drivers informed of a police presence?
Here’s what you should know:
Are police allowed to use speed traps in California?
“The primary goal of a speed trap is to enhance road safety,” according to Ticket Crushers, a law firm with offices in Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles.
Speed traps can reduce crashes and prevent reckless driving behaviors, the firm said.
“The most common definition of a ‘speed trap’ is a section of highway where a vehicle’s speed is calculated by counting the time it takes to travel between two marked points,” Shouse California Law Group said.
In California, however, law enforcement officers are barred from using speed traps to arrest people on suspicion of vehicle code violations, including speeding.
In other words, a vehicle’s speed cannot be admitted into evidence if it was “obtained or determined by using a speed trap,” the Southern California law firm said.
Law enforcement officials may use radar, infrared light or laser technology to track how fast drivers are going on the road, said Veil, which sells products aimed at making cars less visible to police speed guns and traffic cameras.
Can I flash my headlights to warn other drivers?
California has specific rules about when you’re required to use your vehicle’s headlights, and how.
“Your vehicle’s headlights help you see what is in front of you,” the California Department of Motor Vehicles says in its California Driver’s Handbook. “They also make it easier for other drivers to see your vehicle.”
Using your high-beam headlights, also known as brights, can provide extra visibility that’s “crucial in spotting hazards like wildlife, stalled vehicles, or sharp turns on dark roads, State Farm says.
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You should “dim your high-beam headlights to low beams” within 500 feet of a vehicle coming toward you or within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following, the California Driver’s Handbook says.
You should “avoid glare at all times regardless of road contour,” California Vehicle Code said.
Flashing your headlights to alert other drivers is illegal under California law.
“If you flash your high beams at an oncoming vehicle at night, you could be cited for temporarily blinding other drivers, creating a dangerous situation,” said Ultra Bright Lightz, a car lights retailer in New York.
Can I use my turn signals or warning lights to alert motorists?
You’re not allowed to use your vehicle’s flashing amber warning lights except “when an unusual traffic hazard exists,” the California Vehicle Code says.
You’re allowed to use flashing turn signal lamps when indicating your intention to turn right or left on a roadway.
You can also use flashing turn signals to “warn other motorists of accidents or hazards on a roadway” or alert them to the presence of your broken-down car, California law says.
Vehicles in a funeral procession are allowed to flash their turn signals as warning lights.
If you spot a “collision or hazard” up ahead, the DMV recommends using these methods to warn drivers behind you:
- Turn on your emergency flashers.
- Lightly tap your brake pedal three or four times.
- Use a hand signal when slowing and stopping.
What are the penalties for not dimming your lights?
If you’re caught failing to dim your headlights when approaching another car, you could face a fine of $238 and lose one point on your California state driving record, Shouse California Law Group said.
If drivers have a certain number of points on their records, they risk having their driving privileges suspended.
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