Core: Lighting when stopped

You must keep your sidelights (and rear light) on if, at night or during the day with poor visibility, you are stopped on the carriageway outside a built-up area (Book p.186). The same duty applies if you are stopped in a lay-by, parking strip, or on the hard shoulder along an expressway or motorway. This requirement also applies to any trailer or caravan — it does not matter whether it is attached to your car or unhitched. A standalone caravan on the hard shoulder therefore carries the same lighting duty as one still attached to the car. Note: with only your sidelights (and rear light) on, you may not drive. Sidelights are for standing still, not for driving; for driving you need dipped beam or full beam. Inside a built-up area it is different: there it can be advisable to switch on your sidelights if you are stopped at a dangerous or obstructive spot, but it is not required. As an alternative to sidelights and rear light you may also use your parking lights.