(a) (1) Every farm tractor and every self-propelled farm equipment unit or implement of husbandry not equipped with an electric lighting system shall, at all times mentioned in § 27-36-204, be equipped with at least one (1) lamp displaying a white light visible when lighted from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the front of that vehicle.
(2) They shall also be equipped with at least one (1) lamp displaying a red light visible when lighted from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the rear of the vehicle.
(b) Every self-propelled unit of farm equipment not equipped with an electric lighting system shall, at all times mentioned in § 27-36-204, in addition to the lamps required in subsection (a) of this section, be equipped with two (2) red reflectors visible from all distances within six hundred feet (600¢) to one hundred feet (100¢) to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps.
(c) Every combination of farm tractor and towed unit of farm equipment or implement of husbandry not equipped with an electric lighting system shall, at all times mentioned in § 27-36-204, be equipped with the following lamps:
(1) At least one (1) lamp mounted to indicate, as nearly as practicable, the extreme left projection of the combination and displaying a white light visible when lighted from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the front of the combination; and
(2) Two (2) lamps each displaying a red light visible when lighted from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the rear of the combination or, as an alternative, at least one (1) lamp displaying a red light visible when lighted from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the rear and two (2) red reflectors visible from all distances within six hundred feet (600¢) to one hundred feet (100¢) to the rear when illuminated by the upper beams of head lamps.
(d) (1) Every farm tractor and every self-propelled unit of farm equipment or implement of husbandry equipped with an electric lighting system shall, at all times mentioned in § 27-36-204, be equipped with two (2) single-beam or multiple-beam head lamps meeting the requirements of § 27-36-210 or § 27-36-212 and at least one (1) red lamp visible when lighted from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the rear.
(2) Every self-propelled unit of farm equipment, other than a farm tractor, shall have two (2) red lamps or, as an alternative, one (1) red lamp and two (2) red reflectors visible from all distances within six hundred feet (600¢) to one hundred feet (100¢) when directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps.
(e) Every combination of farm tractor and towed farm equipment or towed implement of husbandry equipped with an electric lighting system shall at all times mentioned in § 27-36-204 be equipped with lamps as follows:
(1) The farm tractor element of every such combination shall be equipped as required in subsection (d) of this section;
(2) The towed unit of farm equipment or implement of husbandry element of the combination shall be equipped with two (2) red lamps visible when lighted from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the rear or, as an alternative, two (2) red reflectors visible from all distances within six hundred feet (600¢) to one hundred feet (100¢) to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of head lamps.
(3) These combinations shall also be equipped with a lamp displaying a white or amber light, or any shade of color between white and amber, visible when lighted from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the rear.
(f) (1) The lamps and reflectors required in this section shall be so positioned as to show from front and rear, as nearly as practicable, the extreme projection of the vehicle carrying them on the side of the roadway used in passing the vehicle.
(2) If a farm tractor, or a unit of farm equipment, whether self-propelled or towed, is equipped with two (2) or more lamps or reflectors visible from the front or two (2) or more lamps or reflectors visible from the rear, the lamps or reflectors shall be so positioned that the extreme projections both to the left and to the right of the vehicle shall be indicated as nearly as practicable.
(g) (1) Every vehicle, including animal-drawn vehicles and vehicles referred to in §§ 27-36-102 and 27-37-102 not specifically required by the provisions of this subchapter to be equipped with lamps or other lighting devices, shall, at all times specified in § 27-36-204, be equipped with at least one (1) lamp displaying a white light visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the front of the vehicle.
(2) Those vehicles shall also be equipped with two (2) lamps displaying a red light visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the rear of the vehicle or, as an alternative, one (1) lamp displaying a red light visible from a distance of not less than five hundred feet (500¢) to the rear and two (2) red reflectors, visible for distances of one hundred feet (100¢) to six hundred feet (600¢) to the rear when illuminated by the upper beams of headlamps.
History. Acts 1937, No. 300, § 111; Pope's Dig., § 6771; Acts 1959, No. 307, § 45; A.S.A. 1947, § 75-709.
Cross References. Penalty for violation of 1959 amendatory act, § 27-50-305.
Case Notes
Duty to Lookout.
Instructions.
Jury Questions.
The failure to attach tail lights to a buggy did not relieve a motorist of the duty to keep a proper lookout. Duckworth v. Stephens, 182 Ark. 161, 30 S.W.2d 840 (1930) (decision under prior law).
It was proper for the court to instruct the jury as to defendant's duty under subsection (d) of this section where the undisputed evidence was that defendant was operating his farm tractor on the highway without headlights and that it was dark and misting rain, although plaintiff struck defendant's tractor from the rear. Hooten v. De Jarnatt, 237 Ark. 792, 376 S.W.2d 272 (1964).
Decedent died when his vehicle hit the back of a farm tractor on a highway; § 27-36-219 required lighting on a farm tractor visible from the rear of that tractor. In a wrongful death action brought the decedent's administratrix, the circuit court abused its discretion in not allowing the jury to be instructed on whether § 27-36-219 was violated and whether, if so, that violation constituted some evidence of negligence. McMickle v. Griffin, - Ark. -, - S.W.3d -, 2007 Ark. LEXIS 240 (Apr. 5, 2007).
Whether plaintiff driving a wagon not equipped with tail light which was struck from rear by a bus was guilty of contributory negligence was held for the jury. Missouri Pac. Transp. Co. v. Brown, 193 Ark. 304, 99 S.W.2d 245 (1936) (decision under prior law).