Is It Illegal To Drive With Interior Lights On?

Contrary to popular belief, it is not illegal to drive with interior lights on anywhere in the United States. Nevertheless, it is recommended that you keep your dome lights off when driving at night because they can create glare and potentially distract you or other drivers — increasing your chances of being involved in a car accident.

Continue reading to learn when you could get a ticket for driving with your interior lights on and why it’s generally a good idea to keep them off.

On This Page

• 

  Is It Ever Illegal To Drive With Interior Lights On?

• 

  Is It Safe To Drive With My Interior Lights On?

• 

  What Are the Risks of Driving With Interior Lights On?

• 

  Can Driving With Interior Lights on Lead to Distracted Driving?

• 

  FAQs

Is It Ever Illegal To Drive With Interior Lights On?

There are no states with laws that explicitly prohibit driving with your car’s interior lights on. Although many drivers have been told at some point in their lives that they can’t drive with their cabin lights on at night, this has more to do with safety concerns and official highway patrol recommendations than government regulations.

What Happens if I'm Pulled Over for Driving With Interior Lights On?

A police officer could potentially pull you over if driving with your interior lights on leads them to reasonably suspect that you are committing a crime, such as reckless driving.^[1] In this scenario, the officer may let you off with a warning and instruct you to turn your lights off — or they could issue a ticket if you are actively creating a dangerous driving environment.

Is It Safe To Drive With My Interior Lights On?

While it’s perfectly legal to drive with your interior lights on, doing so generally isn’t safe when it’s dark outside because the light can reflect off your windshield, create glare and obscure your vision. Along with inhibiting your ability to focus and drive safely, your cabin lights could also create a distraction for other drivers.

In addition, driving with your interior lights on can be especially detrimental if you have night blindness, meaning you have a hard time adjusting to sudden changes in brightness and seeing well in the dark.^[2] If you experience night blindness, turning the cabin lights on even briefly can make it difficult for your eyes to readjust to the darkness outside, putting you at risk of missing road hazards and getting into a car accident.

What Are the Risks of Driving With Interior Lights On?

Reduced visibility caused by keeping your interior lights on may increase the chances that you will get into a fatal car accident. In 2022, more than 1,500 deadly car crashes could be attributed to drivers with obscured vision because of factors like glare — accounting for 2.6% of all fatal collisions that year.^[3]

Additionally, you could potentially encounter an increase in your car insurance premiums after receiving a ticket related to driving with your interior lights on. While nonmoving violations typically don’t impact your insurance rates, you could see a significant rate hike if your cabin lights lead to a reckless driving ticket, which is classified as a moving violation.^[4]

Can Driving With Interior Lights on Lead to Distracted Driving?

Driving with your interior lights on at night may be considered a distraction in and of itself — and it could also indicate that you’re distracted in other ways. For example, if you turn on your dome lights to search for something in your glove compartment, you could put yourself and others in danger while your eyes are off of the road.

At 55 mph, it only takes five seconds to travel the length of a football field.[5] As a result, looking away from the road for any amount of time — even if it feels insignificant — can dramatically increase your odds of colliding with an object you didn’t see, potentially resulting in serious property damage, bodily injury or death.