Veteran police officer says flashing your high beams isn't illegal

A veterantraffic officer with the Calgary Police Service says it's totally reasonable to flash your headlights and no law specifically says otherwise.

The common technique of signalling to oncoming drivers came up this week incourtin Okotoks, Alta.

A driver had received a ticketlast fall in High River for flashing his high beams at another vehicle but on Monday won his case.

"It's context. Is it reasonable to flash your lights if there's an accident ahead and you want them to slow down, or there's an animal on the side of the road?In my opinion, yes it is," Sgt. JoergGottschlingof the CPS traffic section told theCalgary Eyeopener on Wednesday.

In this case, the driver argued he made an honest mistake, flashing his lights ata car he believed was driving with high beams. He wanted to let the driver know to turn them down.

In fact, the lights on the car were simply bright, and the vehicle belonged toa sheriff.

'An action everybody does'

The ticket was issued for driving with high beams within 300 metres of an oncoming vehicle. The man's lawyer, PeterWatkinson, said the sheriff also thought the driverwas "acting nefariously" and trying to get a rise out of the officer of the law.

"This was an action everybody does 100 times a year and shouldn't warrant a penalty," Watkinson said, "for doing something, which... is designed to keep the road safe for everybody."

A justice of the peace threw out the $155ticket on Monday.

The justice of the peace ruled the driver made the reasonable mistake of thinking the sheriff's bright lights were high beams, based on dash cam video.The justice of the peace also said flashing high beams isn't illegal.

Gottschling, who is with the specialized traffic enforcement unit,said hecan't imagine handing out a ticket for that.

"There's nothing that says you can or can't flash because there's a speed-trap ahead," he said. "It's never bothered me. Maybe it bothers some coppers, but I've never written that section."

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With files from Angela Knight and theCalgary Eyeopener.