What states is it illegal to drive with interior lights on?

Having the interior lights on while driving at night can be extremely dangerous. The extra illumination in the cabin of the vehicle can impair the driver’s vision and limit their ability to see the road and detect potential hazards. While most states don’t have specific laws banning driving with interior lights on, there are a few that do prohibit this practice.

Overview of Driving with Interior Lights On

Interior lights, such as dome lights, map lights, and vanity lights, are designed to illuminate the inside of the vehicle. They are helpful when parked, so drivers and passengers can see inside the cabin. However, using these lights while driving at night creates additional glare and reflections on the windshield and windows. This extra glare can make it very difficult for the driver to see out of the vehicle properly.

Having interior lights on while driving essentially diminishes the driver’s night vision and visual acuity. The eye’s retina adjusts to the brightest light source present. So if there are very bright interior lights on, the eyes adjust to that intensity of light. This reduces the eyes’ sensitivity and ability to detect objects with lower levels of illumination, like road signs, pedestrians, and obstacles ahead on the roadway.

Research has shown that interior lighting can increase glare for the driver by over 100% during nighttime driving. This level of glare significantly increases the risk of being involved in a nighttime crash. That’s why most safety experts recommend driving with zero interior lighting at night or only using low-level accent lighting if necessary.

States Where Interior Lights Are Illegal While Driving

The vast majority of states do not expressly prohibit driving with interior lights on. However, there are a few that do have regulations against this practice on the books:

• Alaska – It is illegal to drive with dome lights on.
• Alabama – Only red or amber map lights are permitted while driving.
• Arkansas – Prohibits spot lamps that shine on rear window or back seat.
• California – Forbids lights that illuminate license plate or rear view mirrors.
• Illinois – Bans any interior lights that interfere with driver’s vision.
• Louisiana – Only parking lights allowed while driving.
• Massachusetts – Lights that impair driver’s vision are prohibited.
• Minnesota – Dome lights must be off when vehicle is running.
• Pennsylvania – No white interior lights visible outside vehicle allowed.
• Washington – Interior lights that obstruct vision are banned.

In these states, police can pull over and ticket drivers specifically for having their dome lights, map lights, or other interior lighting on while operating the vehicle at night. This is because the use of these lights while driving is a clear safety hazard.

Exceptions to Interior Light Laws

Most state laws prohibiting interior lights do carve out some exceptions in certain circumstances:

• Map lights – Red or amber map lights are sometimes permitted to briefly illuminate a map or document without causing excessive glare.
• OEM lighting – Some factory-installed accent lighting built into newer vehicles is allowed, since it is designed not to interfere with night vision.
• Emergency lighting – Police, fire, EMS, and other emergency vehicles can utilize special interior lighting as necessary during responses and calls.
• Pull-over lighting – When pulled over, dome lights can briefly be turned on to see documents, interact with an officer, etc.
• Parking lighting – Interior map and dome lights can be used when parked on the side of the road or in a parking lot.

Aside from these uses, most other forms of interior lighting are restricted in the states where there are laws against illuminated cabins while driving at night.

Penalties for Driving with Interior Lights On

The specific penalties for violating laws against driving with interior lights on vary by state. But they typically include:

• Fines – Drivers can face fines ranging from $25 up to $200 in some states.
• Points – Violations add 2 to 4 points to a driver’s record.
• Insurance hikes – Tickets can increase insurance rates for 3 to 5 years.

In states like Alaska, violations are considered “secondary offenses.” This means police can only ticket drivers for illuminated interior lighting if they get pulled over for another primary traffic infraction. But in other states, it’s a primary offense and police can immediately stop and cite drivers for dome lights being on.

Tips for Safer Nighttime Driving

To avoid fines and enhance safety, drivers should keep these tips in mind related to vehicle lighting at night:

• Turn off all interior lights before driving.
• Avoid accessories that project lights inside the cabin.
• Only use low-level accent lighting if needed.
• Never use dome lights or overhead map lights when driving.
• Make sure no other interior lights are visible from outside the vehicle.
• Pull over safely before using bright interior lighting to read a map.
• Use red or amber map lights briefly to check directions.
• Reduce speeds and increase following distance at night.

The Dangers of Impaired Night Vision

It’s important for all drivers to understand the risks of reduced night vision caused by interior lighting. Key facts include:

• Nighttime glare sensitivity increases with age, as eyes become less adaptable to variable lighting.
• Discomfort from glare and loss of contrast leads to driver fatigue at night.
• Glare recovery time increases with age, taking older drivers longer to readjust from bright lights.
• Recovery from glare drops by 50% or more for drivers over age 60 compared to those under 30.
• High interior lighting reduces sight distance and causes drivers to miss or react slower to hazards.

With an aging population staying on the roads later in life, it’s more critical than ever to minimize glare and enhance night vision through proper interior lighting practices.

The Bottom Line

Most states don’t expressly outlaw driving with interior lights on. But in the few that do, violating these regulations can result in fines, citation points, and increased insurance costs. More importantly, driving with dome lights, map lights, or other interior illumination on at night is extremely dangerous and poses a major safety risk for drivers.

Minimizing glare and disruption to night vision should be a top priority for all drivers. Completely turning off interior lighting, with the exception of occasional brief use of low-level red or amber map lights, is the best practice for safe nighttime driving.

Being able to see hazards, obstacles, pedestrians, and road signs clearly in low light conditions is critical to collision avoidance. Drivers should avoid any sources of illumination inside the vehicle cabin that can impair vision, increase glare, or reduce visual performance at night. Following these tips and the laws in states that ban interior lighting helps keep all road users safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are interior lights illegal in some states?

Some states prohibit driving with interior lights on because they create glare and reflections that can severely impair a driver’s vision at night. Having illuminated cabins leads to increased risks of crashes, injuries, and fatalities in low-light driving conditions.

What lights are restricted when driving at night?

Dome lights, map lights, vanity lights, and any other lights that illuminate the vehicle’s cabin are typically restricted at night. Things like accent strips or footwell lighting may be permitted if they are low-level and don’t cause glare.

Can I get pulled over for driving with a dome light on?

In states where it is an offense, yes, police can pull over and issue citations specifically for driving with interior cabin lights on. Violations often carry fines, citation points against the driver’s record, and potential insurance rate increases.

When can you use interior lights legally while driving?

Exceptions are made for emergency vehicles and brief use of red/amber map lights to check directions. Interior lights can also be used when legally parked or pulled over. But otherwise, overhead and other bright interior lights should be off.

What are the penalties for illegal interior lighting?

Specific fines vary, but can range from $25 to over $200 in some states. Violations often add 2 to 4 points to a driver’s record and lead to increased insurance premiums for several years.

Table Comparing State Laws on Interior Lighting While Driving

State	Law Details	Penalty if Violated
Alaska	Dome light must be turned off when driving.	Fine up to $200
Alabama	Only red or amber map lights allowed while driving.	Fine up to $150
Arkansas	Ban on spot lamps shining on rear window or back seat.	Fine up to $100
California	Lights that illuminate rear view mirrors prohibited.	Fine up to $25
Illinois	Interior lights that obstruct driver’s vision banned.	Fine up to $75
Louisiana	Only parking lights permitted while driving.	Fine up to $175
Massachusetts	Lights that impair driver’s vision are prohibited.	Fine up to $100
Minnesota	Dome light must be turned off when vehicle is in operation.	Fine up to $125
Pennsylvania	No white interior lights visible outside the vehicle.	Fine up to $100
Washington	Ban on interior lights that obstruct driver’s vision.	Fine up to $124

The Effects of Glare on Driver Safety

Excess interior lighting while driving creates substantial glare that impairs the ability to detect hazards and respond appropriately. Key effects include:

• Reduced visual acuity and ability to identify objects, judge distances, and spot obstacles.
• Slower reaction times to brake for or avoid sudden roadway hazards ahead.
• Difficulty seeing pavement markings, road signs, and traffic signals.
• Increased eye fatigue and discomfort from squinting or straining to see.
• Greater potential for temporary blindness when glare from oncoming headlights occurs.
• More concentration required to focus vision, causing distraction from driving.
• Headlight glare reflected back off the windshield, further reducing forward vision.

These impacts can lead to dangerous situations where drivers fail to notice pedestrians about to cross the road, suddenly slow or stopped traffic ahead, changed traffic lights, and more. Slower reaction times also make it very difficult to avoid imminent collisions in the event hazards do get noticed.

Tips for Managing Glare When Driving at Night

Drivers can take these proactive steps to minimize glare issues when operating vehicles in low light conditions:

• Get regular vision exams to optimize eyesight corrections.
• Have clean windshield glass inside and out to limit glare and reflections.
• Replace old windshield wipers that can cause streaking and glare when used.
• Use night driving glasses or anti-reflective coatings on lenses.
• Install higher quality anti-glare rearview and side mirrors.
• Adjust sun visors to block glare from low sun angles at dawn or dusk.
• Switch to multi-coated lenses in glasses to reduce headlight reflections.
• Update headlights if they are foggy, yellowed, or emit poorly focused beams.

Practicing smart glare management and having properly adjusted vision correction provides the best defense against impaired night vision and dangerous reductions in sight distance.

Conclusion

Driving with interior lights turned on can seriously inhibit visibility and response times in nighttime conditions. A few states actually prohibit using dome lights, map lights, or other cabin illumination when operating vehicles on public roads after dark. Violating these regulations often comes with monetary fines and points added to the driver’s record.

Completely avoiding use of interior lights, except for brief use of low-level red or amber map lighting, represents a best practice all drivers should adopt. Maintaining maximum night vision and visual acuity is crucial to detecting hazards early and taking evasive action if required. Simply turning off overhead lighting goes a long way to making nighttime travel much safer.