In Sweden, the Christian Democrats have had enough of cars with their taillights turned off, so the party now wants to ban them. But it may be illegal.
Far too many drivers drive around without their taillights on during the dark hours. This was shown by a report from the Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) as early as 2023.
A full 83 percent of drivers drive with their tail lights off. Many don't even know it. Now politician Magnus Jacobsson (KD) is demanding that all drivers be banned from driving with anything other than tail lights that are always on.
The problem with the taillights not being on really arose in 2011. At that time, the EU introduced new regulations. The regulations allowed the use of daytime running lights without the taillights on during the day.
The idea behind the EU rule was to save energy. Cars would use less energy and thus less fuel.
But developments have changed the conditions. Many modern cars use energy-efficient LED lights. Therefore, the argument about saving electricity has become less important, according to Jacob Sidenvall from M Sverige.
Christian Democrat Magnus Jacobsson has now presented a proposal in the Riksdag. He wants to change the current legislation. The goal is to clearly improve traffic safety.
Risk of stalls and accidents with tail lights off
Jacobsson points out that cars must be clearly visible in traffic. Many new cars have an automatic function that turns on the taillights when it is dark or in poor visibility.
Unfortunately, the automatic function does not always work optimally. This creates dangerous situations. Turned-off tail lights provide less warning to road users behind.
This significantly reduces safety margins. VTI researcher Björn Lidestam emphasizes the seriousness. The difference between the taillights being on and off can be the difference between an incident and an accident.
In the worst case, it can mean the difference between life and death. This is especially true during sudden maneuvers. Or if a child unexpectedly opens a door.
Everything points to the advantages of having the taillights on. It is simply safer, according to the VTI researcher.
The future of the bill and EU rules
It's not just a question of safety. You also risk a traffic ticket. Driving with your tail lights off can be expensive. This also applies in daylight.
Traffic police officer Johan Alm in Falun explains the fine. The fine for turning off the tail lights is 1,200 Swedish kronor. This corresponds to approximately 800 Danish kronor.
Jacob Sidenvall from M Sverige, which corresponds to FDM in Denmark, believes that many drivers rely too much on the car's sensors.
They should use their own common sense to assess the lighting conditions. M Sweden supports the idea of having taillights on 24/7.
The organization M Sverige thanks Magnus Jacobsson for raising the issue. They believe it is reasonable to investigate the need for new legislation. The current rules still cause traffic disruptions.
The proposal is now being considered by the Swedish Transport Committee. It could then be voted on in the Riksdag. However, there is a potential obstacle.
It is uncertain whether a Swedish requirement is compatible with EU car approvals. Sweden must follow common EU rules. The EU could therefore potentially prevent Sweden from introducing such a national requirement.
Magnus Jacobsson, however, hopes for an adoption. "It's about road safety," he concludes.
At Boosted.dk we often write about car technology and safety. You can find articles about everything from advanced lighting systems to the latest laws. For example, LED lights are now allowed even on older cars. Read more about it here .
