State troopers in Minnesota noticed a car converted into a rolling light show earlier this week and decided it justified a PSA.

The Minnesota State Patrol reported that a police officer stopped a pickup truck after spotting “nonstandard” lights wired across the vehicle.

The setup looked cheerful enough for a downtown parade in Saint Paul, but troopers explained that state law does not share the same festive spirit.

Minnesota bars any nonemergency car from using red, blue, white, or any other nonstandard colored lighting on public roads

That is, unless the public safety commissioner grants permission. The rule helps keep drivers from mistaking a decorated car for an emergency responder.

Troopers reminded drivers that even harmless-seeming add-ons can create confusion. Lights that flicker or glow in unusual colors draw attention away from the road.

The State Patrol explained that anything that distracts drivers, even for a second, raises the odds of a car accident.

That risk grows during the winter months when darkness settles early across swaths of the country and traffic thickens around holiday travel.

The agency also pointed out that people often feel extra pressure to multitask in their car around this time of year

Drivers bounce between shopping runs, work events, and family trips. Small distractions, like spirited decor on another passing car, turn into bigger hazards when the roads get slick or visibility drops.

So keep the “festive” energy, but maintain ordinary lighting on your car. You’re still free to create your holiday masterpiece at home.