Rules and penalties for driving with your headlights off

It’s true that the latest-generation cars are designed with automatic low-beam activation as soon as the ignition key is turned. However, this is not the case for all vehicles, and malfunctions may occur something we must check before getting on the road. Do you know when it is mandatory to drive with your headlights on and what penalties are imposed for breaking the rule? In this article, we explain in detail how fines for driving without headlights work, as well as other penalties for improper use of vehicle lights.

When is it mandatory to turn on headlights?

The main line of distinction regarding the obligation to use headlights while driving is visibility. Headlights must be turned on at night, specifically from half an hour after sunset, when road visibility begins to decrease, until half an hour before sunrise within urban areas.

This obligation extends to 24 hours a day in the following cases:

• For mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles, and quadricycles on all types of roads;
• Outside urban areas (highways, bypasses, expressways, state and provincial roads);
• Within urban areas when driving through tunnels or in poor weather conditions (heavy rain, snow, or fog);
• When transporting injured or ill passengers.

Remember that high beams may only be used outside built-up areas and, even then, only sparingly on two-way roads to signal a hazard to other drivers.

What you risk: fines for driving without headlights

First of all, as a car owner you are responsible for its maintenance, which includes headlights. If stopped during a check, you can be fined between €87 and €344 if your low beams are not working; the same penalty applies for improper use of high beams (for example, flashing them to warn oncoming drivers of a police checkpoint). In such cases, 3 points are deducted from your license.

If your headlights are working but you simply forgot to switch them on, the fine for driving without headlights whether on highways at night or during the day, or within cities at night or in poor visibility conditions ranges from €42 to €183, along with the deduction of 1 license point. In other European countries, the rules may differ from those in Italy, so always check local regulations before traveling.

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