LONGMONT, Colo. – We’ve all tried different methods of getting around a busted-out taillight – from red film to red tape or taped-on plastic. But a Longmont police sergeant spotted a new one on Monday: a red sports drink.

Longmont police said they stopped the driver, who works for an oil company and is in town every two weeks, while he was on the way to get the tail light fixed. They let him go without a ticket and ran into him at a garage later Monday while he was getting the light fixed.

On-road vehicles in Colorado must display a red or amber light for their tail lights that can be seen at least 100 feet away in the sunlight.

“While we appreciate the ingenuity of this tail light, this is not a permanent solution,” Longmont Fire, Police and OEM wrote in a Facebook post. “Working tail lights prevent accidents.”