From major American cities to small-town France, there’s a new trend sweeping across the car world. Enthusiasts are decorating their car with thousands of Christmas lights to show off their holiday spirit. While this is certainly an eye-catching way to roll, turning your vehicle into a Christmas tree on four wheels could catch the wrong kind of attention. It’s illegal in many areas, and some owners have reported annoying paint damage.
You don’t need to look very far to get an idea of what we’re talking about. There are dozens of videos showing cars festooned with multicolored Christmas lights on TikTok and YouTube, including some that have gotten over five million views. The selection is wildly diverse. On one side of the spectrum, someone put Christmas lights on a Bugatti Chiron. On the other, someone put Christmas lights on a tiny Citroën Ami (the current-generation car, not the original model with the Z-shaped roof). How-to videos are a dime a dozen as well.
Photos showing decorated cars getting pulled over are becoming increasingly common as well, and many come from sources with the words “highway patrol” (or similar) in their name. Posting on Facebook, the Wyoming Highway Patrol reminded its followers of this law: “No person shall drive or move any vehicle or equipment upon any highway with any lamp or device thereon capable of displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front of the center thereof.” Is the risk of someone mistaking a Ford Mustang with Christmas lights for a law enforcement vehicle real? Probably not, but the law is the law. Now you’re probably thinking “fair enough, I’ll use white lights,” but that is seemingly illegal, too.
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“If you have all those Christmas lights on, and you are braking because there’s some type of emergency in front of you, and other motorists can’t tell because of the amount of lights on the vehicle. If there’s a hill, or a curve, all that stuff can come into play,” said Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper Jason Simmer in an interview with Cowboy State Daily. “And when you have more lights, it’s more distraction. That increases reaction time and decreases the amount of time you have to actually react to something,” he added. Simmer clarified that lights are OK in a parade.
Wyoming isn’t alone. Indiana is among the states that enforce a similar ban on lights that aren’t white or amber. Illinois also tilts toward “no.”
Beyond the legal aspect, the way those lights are stuck on can also mar your car’s paint. Admittedly, the lack of common sense deserves a big chunk of the blame for some of the damage that has been reported. Using regular tape—or, worse, duct tape—can leave residue on your vehicle’s various body panels. If you have to decorate your car, it’s a better idea to use masking tape (though we’re by no means guaranteeing that it’ll come off nice and clean). Additionally, keep in mind that lights can scuff and scratch the paint over time, especially if the car they’re on is driven at higher speeds.
Police officers in Wales summed it up pretty well: “enjoy the festive period but please keep the decorations on your tree.”
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