Vehicle Code 24409 - Failure to Dim Headlights

Doing your best on the road isn’t always easy, and if you find yourself receiving a mailed traffic citation, you aren’t alone. If you have recently received a Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation citation, take some time now to figure out what it is and why it matters for your driving technique! Below, we’ll cover basic topics about the citation, including:

• What is Vehicle Code 24409(b)?
• What it means to have violated it
• What you can do about the violation
• Other possible Vehicle Code violation connections
• How to avoid being cited for a Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation

What is Vehicle Code 24409(b)?

It’s always best to start with the basic definition and work from there. According to the legislation, a Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation occurs when a driver violates the following regulation: “Whenever the driver of a vehicle follows another vehicle within 300 feet to the rear, he shall use the lowermost distribution of light specified in this article.”

Thankfully, this one is pretty simple when you remember that the “lowermost distribution of light” simply refers to your low-beam headlights (as opposed to your high beams). You must switch your headlights to low beams when you are driving within 300 feet behind another car.

What does it mean to have violated 24409(b)?

While the code itself is simple, let’s take a look at a few example scenarios where it’s possible to receive this violation. Our fictional driver, Keara, is going to demonstrate a few situations on California roads to help make it more realistic.

In the first situation, Keara is driving after dark and is coming up on a car ahead of her. She is humming along to the song on the radio and doesn’t realize that she has come within 300 feet of that other vehicle; her high beams are still on. She would be guilty of a Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation because she is within 300 feet. This is the most common occurrence of this violation, and it is understandable how it may happen.

Similarly, Keara is driving at night in her new car and is coming up behind a vehicle. He knows that she is getting too close to have her high beam headlights on, but she forgets where the switch is to turn them off and leaves them on while driving within 300 feet of the vehicle ahead of her.

There are some exceptions to a Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation which you can argue on your court date (more on that next), if they are applicable. The most common one is that Keara does actually switch her headlights to the low beam headlights before getting too close to the car ahead of her. Modern cars often have headlights so bright that it can be easy to mistake them for high beams unless you see them switch.

Another example of an exception would be if Keara is driving along when the vehicle ahead of her suddenly slams on the brakes, and Keara is within 300 feet of that vehicle with her high beam headlights on. A Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation wouldn’t apply in this case because the vehicle ahead of her braked so quickly that Keara was focused on braking to prevent an accident, and her high beams were still on during this reaction.

What can I do about this violation?

When you receive your mailed citation, you will have a listing of the citation and also a note on whether you have the option to attend traffic school or not. There will also be a court date on which you need to enter your plea to the traffic court of innocent or guilty of the Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation.

If you know that you are guilty of the charge, please enter a plea of guilty. At this point, you will be responsible for paying all fees associated with the ticket. If you choose to attend traffic school (more on that later), you will be paying $286. If you choose not to attend traffic school, the cost will be $234. There will also be court fees added to this for the court’s time.

The other main concern with a Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation is that 1 DMV point will be added to your driving record. Depending on your driving history, this can be added to other points and possibly complicate things.

If you have read about the examples above and believe you qualify for one of the exceptions, you should enter an innocent plea. Since it can be hard to prove, you should consult with an experienced traffic court attorney who can attend traffic court on your behalf and argue your case. 

The most important thing about your court date is not to miss it. Whether accidental or intentional, missing a court date adds an additional charge, which you will also have to answer for and pay for. If you can’t attend traffic court, a traffic court attorney can go on your behalf, relieving this stress for you.

Other possible CVC code violation connections

Sometimes there are other vehicle code violations that can be added to your court date, depending on the situation surrounding your citation. For a Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation, there aren’t many similar codes, but the two to know about are listed below:

• Vehicle Code 24250 – This code refers to driving without headlights during nighttime or early morning hours, or storms, when headlights should be on.
• Driving under the influence (DUI): While not a code, this misdemeanor can apply if you are found to have been DUI while committing a Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation.

The court can choose to add one or all of these to your court date and use them in addition to your Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation or instead of them. These both have their own fines and DMV point concerns.

Is this ticket eligible for traffic school?

As mentioned above, you may have the option of attending an accredited traffic school, such as MM TRAFFIC SCHOOL, to help re-educate your driving. A Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation is eligible for traffic school, as long as you received this citation while driving a personal vehicle and you haven’t attended traffic school in the past 16 months. 

Moving citations (or citations received concerning how you operate your vehicle) can be re-educated, and this makes traffic school a great choice for helping you drive more safely in the future. Our classes are designed to be accurate to modern driving regulations, entertaining to learn, and easy to remember for the best final effect on the driver looking to change things for the better.

If you are curious about our programs or you would like to learn more about your Vehicle Code 24409(b) violation, please contact us. Are you looking for information specifically about your mailed citation or court date? It’s best to contact the court that issued your mailed citation.