Parking at night
FACTS Cars and light goods vehicles (up to 2500 kg laden weight), invalid carriages and motorcycles can park without lights on roads with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) or less. They must comply with any parking restrictions, and not park within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction.
They must also be parked parallel to, and close to, the side of the road or in a designated parking place and facing in the direction of the traffic flow.
If you have to park on any other road, you should never
- leave your vehicle without side or parking lights unless a sign indicates that lights aren’t required. It would be better to get it off the road altogether
- leave your vehicle standing on the right-hand side of the road, except in a one-way street.
Always switch your headlights off when you stop, even for a short while. It’s an offence to leave them on when the vehicle is parked. The fixed glare can be very dazzling – especially if, for any reason, the vehicle is on the offside of the road facing oncoming traffic. Leaving lights on can also drain the battery.
