Every week, the Northern Star uncovers the truth about police myths.

Busting this week’s myth is Lt. Carl Leoni of the DeKalb Police Department.

Myth:

You cannot have your dome light on while driving, but objects hanging on your rearview mirror are okay.

FALSE

“Your dome light can be on,” Leoni said. “Though it’s not recommended at night because it decreases your vision.”

The light exception is not just limited to dome lights. Map lights and colored lights are allowed as long as they are not blue, red or facing the front of the vehicle because those specific colors are reserved for emergency vehicles.

“You can have those on,” Leoni said. “It’s just not a good idea. The more you have on the inside, the harder it is to see on the outside.”

As for suspended objects from the rearview mirror, any object is illegal.

“Technically, you can’t have anything that would impede your vision through the windshield,” Leoni said.

As for products that are manufactured to be suspended from the mirror, Leoni said they are illegal to hang even though they are not illegal to sell.

The fine for having anything hanging from the mirror is $75.

“Now, if a police officer sees you with that stuff hanging, he has to weigh if it’s really important to stop you for that violation or if it’s really important to go to the call he’s going to,” Leoni said.

However, if someone is stopped for a traffic violation, they might get an additional ticket if they do have something hanging from the mirror.

“For one of those violations, it would be nice if the officer would give you a warning,” Leoni said.