Editing Headlamp (section)

==Covers==
Headlamp covers are [[automotive aftermarket|aftermarket modification]]s made from a variety of materials (e.g., metal, polycarbonate, ABS plastic or self-adhesive vinyl film) which are applied over the [[headlamps]] of a car in order to reduce the percentage of light transmitted, to tint the color of the light transmitted, and/or to protect the lenses from stone chips, bug splatters, and minor abrasions.<ref name=AutomotiveDictionary>{{cite web|title=Headlight cover|url=http://www.motorera.com/dictionary/he.htm|accessdate=18 September 2014|year=2014}}</ref>

During World War II, civil and military authorities often enforced brownouts and [[Blackout (wartime)|blackouts]], restricting the use of lights on passenger vehicles in order to hinder detection by aerial reconnaissance and bombers. Blackouts (turning off lights) and brownouts (limiting light emissions by way of hoods and masks) were enforced in cities and coastal areas as protection against the night-time aerial attacks in both Axis and Allied countries. One of the first civilian examples of headlight covers was produced in NSW, Australia by the Read family dairy.<ref name=LakeMacquarieHistory>{{cite web|title=World War II headlight cover|url=http://history.lakemac.com.au/page-local-history.aspx?pid=1085&vid=20&tmpt=narrative&narid=3562|accessdate=18 September 2014|year=2014}}</ref>

The use of headlight covers and the modification of light produced by vehicles continued in both the military's development of special [[Blackout light|blackout head and tail light]] technologies and in the civilian sector as well. In addition to headlight covers' use in light reduction, they have also been employed to protect headlamps from damage in both civilian and combat environments.

===Legality===
There is no statute which governs the use of headlight covers throughout the United States. Most localities and municipalities will have laws which regulate the use of headlight covers and or tint and will specify the percentage of light that must pass through and/or the minimum distance from which a vehicle's headlights must be visible.<ref>{{cite web|title=ARE BLACK HEADLIGHT COVERS ILLEGAL|url=http://www.lawforkids.org/speakup/25-driving/3151-are-black-headlight-covers-illegal-in-arizona|accessdate=18 September 2014|year=2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706235638/http://www.lawforkids.org/speakup/25-driving/3151-are-black-headlight-covers-illegal-in-arizona|archivedate=6 July 2015}}</ref>