Is It REALLY Illegal to Drive With a Dome Light On In Michigan?

We need to talk about something shocking, Michigan: our parents lied to us! Remember that moment when you dared to flip on the dome light while cruising down I-96, only for your mom or dad to practically scream, "Turn that thing off! It's ILLEGAL!"?

Guess what? That's not even remotely true. Let's dive into the scandalous revelation that all started with our parents spreading lies.

Is Driving with Your Dome Light On Illegal in Michigan?

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Brace yourself (and your inner child): It's not illegal to drive with your dome light on. Michigan State Police Traffic Services confirmed this when speaking with the Law Offices of Turner and Turner. No specific law stops you from using your interior cabin lights while behind the wheel.

That's right—our parents' long-standing claim crumbles under the weight of actual legal facts, and that's corroborated by our friends at Schaefer Auto Body. But—there is a twist—if the officer making a traffic stop considers your dome light bright enough to distract you or other vehicles, you could get saddled with a distracted driving citation.

Why Did Our Parents Make This Up?

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Good intentions, mostly. Interior lights can reflect off the windshield, making driving tricky. So, maybe they made it up to keep us safe and out of the headlines. Let's face it—"It's not safe" never carries the same weight as "You'll get a ticket."

So, next time someone flips on a dome light, take a breath and resist the urge to clutch your pearls. You're not committing a crime. Just don't start multitasking with that light on, or you might end up with a distracted driving ticket.

The 5 Deadliest Roads in the State of Michigan

MoneyGeek.com, using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Highway Administration (FHA), and the Michigan State Police (MSP) to determine which of Michigan's transportation corridors experience the most fatal accidents. Here's a look at MoneyGeek's 5 Deadliest Roads in the State of Michigan.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

Top 10 Most Dangerous Places to Drive in the USA

If you get anxious driving in a major city you're not alone. There's a lot of information drivers to take in and respond to, much more than your typical two-lane drive. Let's count down to the United States' most dangerous city to be behind the wheel, as we look at The 10 Most Dangerous Places to Drive in the USA, as compiled by Sellmax.com, and ranking each based on: