Is it illegal to flash your headlights to warn of police

#Is it illegal to flash your headlights to warn of police drivers#

Headlight flashing has been upheld as protected speech Thus, the court held, the defendant had not interfered with official police duties and was not guilty of the charges against him.

#Is it illegal to flash your headlights to warn of police drivers#

The court ruled that there was no evidence that other drivers had been speeding before seeing the defendantвЂ™s flashing headlights. The Ohio Appellate Court reversed the trial courtвЂ™s guilty verdict, holding that the defendantвЂ™s actions had not prevented the officer from issuing citations or from making arrests. A jury found Wason guilty as charged in City of Warrensville Heights v. When Wallace Wason flashed his headlights to warn oncoming motorists about the police officer who had just ticketed him, he was arrested and criminally charged with interfering with an officer in the performance of his duties. Headlight flashing doesn't interfere with police duties, court said Thus far, courts have generally interpreted the practice as protected free speech. The practice, common among motorists, of flashing headlights to alert other drivers to an upcoming patrol car has been claimed as a form of expression protected under the free speech clause of the First Amendment. Thus far, courts have generally interpreted the practice as protected free speech.(Image via Pxhere, public domain) The practice of flashing headlights to alert other drivers to an upcoming patrol car has been claimed as a form of expression protected under the free speech clause of the First Amendment.