Police in Iceland rap tourists for staring at the Northern Lights while driving

The Northern Lights are one of the most impressive natural phenomenons on Earth – and one of the many reasons that millions of tourists flock to Iceland every year.

But police in Iceland are now warning tourists to keep their eyes firmly on the road – after officers rapped motorists for driving erratically.

According to Iceland Magazine, police recorded two incidents last week where cops were forced to pull over drivers on suspicion of drink driving.

But in both cases, it emerged that the drivers were entirely sober – and instead mesmerised by the appearance of the Aurora Borealis in the skies above them.

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The enchanting effect has now been dubbed ‘driving under the influence of the Aurora.’

A police report into the first incident recalled how the driver was swerving between lanes when he was apprehended by police.

‘The driver told the police he saw the Northern Lights and couldn’t bring himself to stop looking at them’, the statement said.

‘The police asked him to park the vehicle if he wanted to keep on gazing at the sky.’

It comes after an Icelandic road official complained in 2015 that tourists were stopping in the middle of the road to take photos of horse and sheep.

Instead, he suggested that photo stop areas should be created – providing designated areas for tourists to take snaps.