For many motorists in San Diego County, a broken taillight or turn signal can mean choosing between an auto repair or buying groceries for their families. It can also spark a downward economic spiral that could lead to multiple tickets, confrontations with law enforcement, and even vehicle impoundment. Lights On! disrupts that downward spiral and builds goodwill between police, automotive repair shops and the communities they serve.
Lights On! is a new program that will allow law enforcement officers in San Diego, Chula Vista and National City to hand out repair vouchers to drivers with burned-out bulbs, instead of citations. These vouchers lead to safer cars on the road, help heal police and community relations, and, by avoiding tickets, prevent a ripple effect that can seriously affect the financial stability of low-income drivers.
How Does It Work?
- Participating law enforcement officers hand out vouchers to drivers with burned-out headlights, taillights, brake lights, or turn signals.
- Drivers redeem the vouchers at a participating auto shop where the driver’s bulb problem is fixed at no cost to them (up to $250).
- Lights On! reimburses the auto shop for their costs.
What’s Required of Participating Repair Shops?
- Auto shops must be full-service repair providers.
- Auto shops are to service anyone who arrives at their facility with a Lights On! voucher in as timely a manner as possible and with no appointment required.
- Auto shops agree to conduct no up-selling at that time.
- Lights On! covers all bulb repairs up to $250, including jobs that require additional labor or expensive bulbs, at predetermined rates.
Upon completing the repairs, auto shops mail the invoice, voucher and customer survey to Lights On! and are reimbursed within seven days.
The Lights On! program is not intended to be a sales opportunity; although not something Lights On! can promise, numerous participating auto centers have told us that their involvement in Lights On! has translated into increased business. The Lights On! program is solely for the purpose of serving our communities.
Involvement in Lights On! is a simple process for dealers. All you need to do is replace or repair a bulb and Lights On! will cover your costs.
For more information and/or to sign up as a participating repair facility, please click the link below to review the Lights On! Partnership Agreement and Customer Engagement Guide.
You may also visit the Lights On! website (lightsonus.org) and/or contact Strategic Communications Officer Ashley Bailey at abailey@sandiego.gov.
