Only yellow, white, amber and red lights allowed on vehicles - LTO

With the Land Transportation Office (LTO) planning to implement the new Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS) soon, illegal modifications on vehicles could soon be a thing of the past.

Motorists that use different colored lights on their vehicle's park lights, turn signal indicators, and stop lamps will need to change them out before having it checked by a Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (MVIC).

Under section 5.4.2.3 of the LTO's MVIS guidelines, the parking lamp (or parking light) of a vehicle must only come in the following colors; white, yellow, or amber for the front and red for the rear.

Next are the direction-indicator lamps, aka the turn signal indicators. Under the guidelines, the front turn signals should only come in yellow or amber colors. Meanwhile, the rear turn signals shall only be red, yellow, or amber when in use.

Last but not least are the stop lamps on the taillights. The LTO also said that the color of the stop lamps must only be red.

Should any motor vehicle be found with a different set of colored lights, they will fail the MVIS, and their front plate will be confiscated. Once they have replaced the lights with the correct colors, their front plates will be returned, and they can renew their vehicle's registration.

While the guidelines appear to enforce a strict set of rules, we're not entirely sure about what the LTO meant about the 'red' rear parking lights and stoplights. In most cars, both the rear parking lights and stop lights have white bulbs with red lenses. The only time the bulbs have to be red is when the taillights have clear lenses.

Perhaps what the LTO is trying to say that any part of the taillight that is meant to signal a vehicle is stopping (or illuminate during night-time) must be in the color red. Should that be the case, motorists shouldn't have any problem during an inspection.

With that, it looks like the days of tinted headlights and taillights are over soon. Some will argue that it's another step to get the car registered, but we think it's for the best. Remember, lights aren't just meant to illuminate the road, they're also there for you to be seen clearly.