If you are smuggling drugs, your brake lights nor the vehicle code is not on top of your mind. But a case involving brake lights and blow has made to the Supreme Court this week.
The suspect was driving a car which undisputedly had only one of its two rear brake lights working. The police pulled him over and found cocaine in the car. He plead guilty and has been working on his appeal to get the stop throw out of court.
His appeal is based on the “antiquated” North Carolina statute requires only “a stop lamp” and one brake lights had in fact been working, making the traffic stop was invalid according to his lawyers. Driving with a flickering or broken brake light is not against the law in North Carolina, as long as the other brake light is working.
The car in question had only one brake light, so it was legal. So technically, the police officer did not have reasonable suspension to pul the vehicle over. This invalidates the search and maybe the conviction.
On Monday, the highest court (no real “car guys” on the bench) in the land will discuss brake lights and the law.