Is It Illegal To Flash Your Headlights To Warn Of Speed Trap In WNY?

This weekend something happened to me that hasn't happened in years. While I was driving along the 290 near the Big Blue Water Tower, a car on the opposite side of the road flashed it lights at me.

As most of us know, this is a sign that there are police and a speed trap up ahead. And if you ever been on the 290, you know that police like to wait in the turnaround area near the Main Street exits. So after seeing the other car flash it's lights, I slowed down.

Sure enough, there were two State Troopers sitting at that turnaround using radar.

Now, I want to thank that person that flashed thier lights since I always thought that do it was illegal. But, here in Western New York it is not.

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According to the website, Avvo.com, the New York State Supreme Court ruled that police cannot ticket a person for flashing thier lights.

In 2009, the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division (Fourth Department) held that the flashing of lights alone is not a violation of New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 375 [3], that stopping a vehicle based upon that is illegal, and all evidence gathered as a result of the illegal stop should be suppressed.

So next time you are driving along the 290 or the 90 and see a speed trap, know that flashing your lights could save a fellow Western New Yorker some from a speeding ticket and that you are not doing anything wrong.