Is It Illegal To Drive With Your Dome Light On In Wisconsin?
Did your parents tell you to turn off the dome light when you were riding in the car as a kid? I remember trying to have it on when I was reading a book in the back seat when it would get dark out on those long drives. My parents would always tell me it was illegal to have it on. Now as an adult with kids, I actually wondered if it really is illegal, after I found myself telling my kids the same thing my parents did.
Apparently, I wasn't the only one who was looking for an answer. The Wisconsin State Patrol listed it as one of their most frequently asked questions.
On their website, they do acknowledge that it is technically legal to drive with your dome light on, despite what your parents told you. However, they don't recommend it.
Driving with your dome light on makes it more difficult to see at night. The light in the vehicle will affect your night vision. Why do you have the light on in the first place? In some cases, it could be because the driver is distracted trying to find something in the car.
So it's legal to drive with your dome light on in Wisconsin, but not advised. Not to mention at night you'll be lit up like a lighted display for everyone else to see you.
The same thing applies to map lights. Those are ok to have on as well. But who uses a map anymore anyway?