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I remember well when my parents told me that driving with your car’s interior lights on is illegal. If we needed to read a map (back when we used such antiques regularly), we’d switch a light on long enough to get our bearings, then shut it back off. This is a persistent rumor, but the truth is that driving with your dome light (also called a courtesy light) illuminated is not illegal. But there’s an interesting reason police might pull you over anyway.

The Automobile Association admits that this “dome lights are illegal” myth has been passed from one generation to another. It adds,  “It’s something which lots of people think is a fact but there’s no law against driving with your interior lights on.”

But you know what they say, every fiction contains a grain of truth. Bright lights in your car at night can make it difficult for you to see your surroundings. And that isn’t safe. “If you’re pulled over and it’s decided that your light was a probable cause in any bad driving, you can expect to get a careless driving charge.”

A police officer issuing a traffic ticket in very close view
aijohn784 via iStock

You need to take responsibility for getting to your destination safely, if you have the type of eyes that are especially sensitive to light you will want to keep your dome light switched off. The AA advices you, “avoid doing anything that could slow your reaction times and cause an otherwise avoidable accident.” Besides, leaving your dome light on might get you in another kind of trouble.

Distracted driving has become a major epidemic in the country. Today, 49 states have laws against texting and driving. And of those, 27 states specify that you can only use your cellphone for calls while driving with a hands-free device–such as a headset or through your vehicle’s infotainment system.

With the number of distracted driving accidents still on the rise, many police departments are cracking down on cellphone use. During the day, it’s difficult to tell if a driver has their phone in their lap. But at night, police simply look for the light from the cellphone’s screen. Turn on your dome light and you risk police sopping you on suspicion of using your cellphone while driving.

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.