Backstory:
A few nights ago I was tailgated by a driver with unnecessarily-bright lights (likely stock, but still... when I can see my shadow on the road in front of me that seems excessive). I was calmly pondering how to encourage the driver to back off, and wondered if sticking a mirror on the back of my car would do the trick. A full-on mirror is probably not a great idea though.
Main question:
What is the legality of adding reflective tape to the rear of my vehicle? I have done some basic searches, and have found the following caveats:
- If it's a commercial vehicle, then any reflective areas are DOT-regulated
- If it's near the license plate, it could blind plate-reading cameras and cause trouble
- White reflectors on the rear of a vehicle (without red) or red reflectors on the front of a vehicle are generally forbidden
- Covering windows or indicator lights is also generally forbidden
It seems like any other color of reflector, in any quantity or size should be OK (even if it ends up not having the desired outcome of encouraging tailgaters to back up). General USA answers or answers relative to a specific state are welcome.
