Baton Rouge Police Can Give Drivers $250 Voucher to Fix Car Lights Instead of Tickets

If you're in the Baton Rouge area and you get stopped by a cop because you have a burned-out tail light, there's a good chance you'll get some help versus getting a ticket.

There's a new program starting soon there called Lights On! and it's designed to help drivers. Basically, it allows police officers to give out vouchers to drivers to help pay for repairs if they have a broken tail light or burned-out turn signal.

The program is completely free to voucher recipients and it's supported by financial donations.

“Instead of giving a ticket, when a law enforcement officer stops a motorist, he or she will issue a voucher,” said Lights On! Vice President Sherman Patterson. “And what that does is it starts the communication. It starts. It helps them to talk with each other instead of at each other.”

How does it work?

If you get pulled over by an officer for any light bulb-related malfunctions on your vehicle, instead of a ticket, you will get a voucher that will help cover the cost of getting the light fixed within 14 days.

“It will instruct them on how to redeem this voucher. And it’s good for $250,” said Chris Csonka, executive director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.

There are five auto shops in the Capital City area that you will be able to use the voucher to get your lights fixed.

When does the program start?

Soon. Officials say the Lights On! program will start as soon as the vouchers arrive.