Data from obtained under a Freedom of Information request from 29 police forces in the UK shows that 8,323 fixed penalty notices and roadside prohibition notices were issued to motorists for having broken rear lights between November 1, 2016 and October 31, 2017.
West Yorkshire was highlighted as the worst-offending part of the country, where 3,727 fines were issued.
In the case of lighting offences, fixed penalty notices include a fine of £50 and often penalty points too.
Dominic Whitecross of Nationwide Cars, the car sales website that obtained the data, said: “It’s interesting to see how many people are getting caught when it comes to the simplest of car issues.
“Making sure you have a working back light on your car is probably one of the easier car maintenance issues to resolve.”