Please consider this letter my plea to drivers to please turn on their headlights in inclement weather. I think there are still people who don’t understand that the purpose of turning on your headlights in the rain or the snow is to make you more visible to others, rather than to help you see better.

And by turning on your headlights, I mean your headlights, not your running lights or parking lights or whatever you want to call them.

In fact, it is illegal in Colorado to drive with these “small” lights on.  If you think it is time to turn on lights, please turn on your headlights.

Earlier Monday, I drove into town from just north of Bob Adams Field on Routt County Road 129. There was about a 30-minute period of absolute whiteout conditions, and I encountered multiple vehicles (including white pickups) with no headlights. In my view, there is just no good excuse for this.

 Making your vehicle more visible — in any conditions — is an easy way to be a good citizen, something most of us aim to be.

Two years ago, I contacted Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush regarding an update to Colorado statutes that would make turning on your lights in the rain and snow required by law (the current statute refers only to “visibility”). Although I received a response to my inquiry, Rep. Mitsch Busch took no action on this issue. If you agree with me that a change is needed, call her at 970-291-1572 and express your opinion.



I think it would be great if the big electronic sign on U.S. Highway 40 south of town could remind people to turn on their headlights in bad weather. Colorado Department of Transportation, are you reading?



In the meantime, please consider everyone’s safety and turn on your headlights in the rain and snow.

Howard Bashinski

Oak Creek