Is it illegal to drive with your car interior lights on?

HAVING the interior lights on in your car can be distracting – but is it actually illegal?

It’s a common myth than having the inside lights on when driving could land you in trouble.

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You might have been told that having the interior lights of a car on when the vehicle is moving is illegal and could get you a fine or points on your licence.

But this is actually one of the biggest motoring myths out there.

There is actually no specific law that says you can’t have the lights on in your car when you’re behind the wheel.

According to the AA, this is something which a lot of people think is fact but there’s no actual law against it.

Keeping up to date with the latest road rules is important if you want to avoid an unexpected fine.

The DVLA has flagged six things motorists need to know about before driving this winter.

We’ve also looked at how you could be fined £30 for having your fog lights on and whether it’s illegal to park on a double yellow line.

But having your interior lights on could still cause problems.

If you’re pulled over for bad driving, for example, and it’s decided that the interior lights being on was the cause, you could get charged for careless driving.

And if you’ve turned the lights on because you’ve dropped something or are rummaging in the glove box, then you could find yourself in trouble for driving without due care and attention.

You should also make sure that your lights are not a distraction to other drivers.

The Highway Code says you must not “use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users”.

It also says you should avoid distractions such as loud music, trying to read maps, or eating and drinking – so if you’ve got a light on to do any of these things, you could get pulled over.

Another common motoring myth is that it’s illegal to eat while driving.

While this isn’t true, again you could get an on-the-spot fine of £100 and three points if snacking proves distracting and you’re deemed as not being in proper control of the vehicle.

There are also plenty of speed camera myths, and many drivers believe you will only have been caught speeding if the camera flashes, for example.

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