Can I Legally Flash My Lights at Other Drivers In Michigan?

Your driving down the street and suddenly an oncoming car flashes their lights at you. Are you confused? You might be. Depending on your source, the amount of flashes, and time of day it could mean a couple of different things. The bigger question is, "Is it even legal to flash people in Michigan?"

Michigan.gov tells us that it is illegal to use or flash high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle. You need to dim them for pedestrians and people on bikes too. You can flash them to warn other vehicles, but you need to be within that 500 foot radius. You will not get a ticket, but you can be pulled over. When you are pulled over, they can always find something else wrong and potentially cite you.

What does the headlight flash mean though? Is it a warning or is someone being really aggressive? Allow me to help a bit.

One flash of the headlights means you might be driving with your high beams on. I get this all the time because my Jeep has bright LED lights. Not obnoxiously bright, but bright.

Two flashes tends to mean that you need to watch your speed. It means someone is a cool individual and wants to help you avoid a costly traffic ticket.

Three flashes is a road hazard warning. This can be deer, animals, or someone was moving a couch and it fell out into the fast lane. True story.  Some kind individual wants to do you a solid and keep you from hitting something.

Those are the helpful tips. There is however an urban legend about headlight flashing. Just remember, not all of these are true.

There you go. Flashing your headlights 101. Be careful out there. We now have high beam use down. Now if we could get the lazy drivers of the world to use a turn signal.

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