SAN DIEGO — Burned out vehicle lights can be hazardous on the roads, especially at night.
San Diego, Chula Vista and National City Police Departments are now issuing vouchers, instead of tickets, to motorists for lighting equipment violations under the Lights On! program, the City of San Diego said in a press release Thursday.
The ongoing initiative, which aims to improve police-community relations and less the burden of certain traffic tickets, comes just in time for the heavily trafficked Memorial Day weekend.
Officers have started giving out vouchers over the past several weeks, but only after a traffic stop, according to the city. Vouchers cannot be redeemed for cash value and are not available upon request.
The program doesn’t exempt other violations or prevent officers from requesting the person’s identification or checking police databases for any outstanding warrants.
“Vouchers can be redeemed at participating locations for up to $250 for burned-out headlights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals,” the city said. “If the repairs total more than $250, the remaining amount is the sole responsibility of the driver.”
Drivers will be responsible for repairs only if the participating auto service provider can’t complete the repairs due to another issue with the vehicle, per officials.