Final answer:
Taillights must be illuminated after dark to ensure vehicle visibility and to prevent accidents. It is a legal requirement in most places, and non-compliance can result in traffic violations and increase the risk of traffic accidents.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, taillights are required to be illuminated after dark. This is a standard traffic regulation to ensure the visibility of vehicles for safety purposes. When it gets dark, visibility on the roads decreases significantly. To avoid accidents and ensure that all vehicles are visible to each other, especially from behind, taillights must be on. Not only do they indicate the presence of a vehicle to others on the road, but they also signal when a vehicle is braking or about to make a turn if combined with the appropriate turn signals. It is a legal requirement in virtually all jurisdictions to have your taillights functioning and turned on during low light conditions, including nighttime. Ignoring this can lead to traffic tickets and more importantly, dangerous situations that could result in accidents.