Jubilee Decorations On Your Car Could Land You A £2,500 Fine
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Marking 70 years of reign, the whole of the UK is preparing for a long bank holiday weekend to mark the occasion of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
With Union Jacks plastered just about everywhere – from shop window bunting to cupcake icing – it's clear Brits are going all out for this party.
Throughout the years, many people have taken to showing their excitement and support for any royal event in a whole host of ways, one of which includes decorating their vehicle.
With a four-day weekend, countless street parties and official events including Trooping the Colour and Party at the Palace - the nation seems to be really gearing up for this one (pun fully intended).
While many would be satisfied with a Union Jack bumper sticker or a red, white and blue steering-wheel cover - others want to go all out for the occasion.
However, some car decorations can leave drivers slapped with a pricey fine alongside points on their driving license.
According to rule 30 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, the driver must always be able to ‘have a full view of the road and traffic ahead of the motor vehicle’.
If in breach, drivers can be issued a £100 fine on the spot which could increase in increments to a staggering £1,000.
And that's just for your own car.
If one of your decorations happens to fall off your vehicle and obstruct the road for other drivers, you could be charged with driving without reasonable consideration for other road users and fined up to £2,500.
With the potential penalties, Scrap Car Comparison has put together a little guide on how to stay road-safe for the upcoming Queen's Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend.
Tip one warns drivers: "Don't place decorations near the front or rear of the vehicle," to ensure a non-obstructed view of the road ahead.
The second pointer reminds vehicle decorators to 'fasten decorations securely' to lower the risk of items falling off while driving and distracting others.
'Think about size,' the guidance adds, with an encouragement to opt for smaller and less obstructing decorations.
And last but not least, 'double-check your insurance' to find out whether any decorative items count as car modification or not.
The managing director of Scrap Car Comparison commented on the matter, stating: "Although it's always good to get in the spirit, and it may seem like a harmless bit of fun to pop a flag up on your car, the consequences of any mismanaged decorations can potentially be incredibly severe - both in terms of fines and points, but also physically in the event of a collision.
"We wouldn’t want people to miss out on the fun, or put them off celebrating the best way they know how, but we would encourage reading the guidance around car decorations to ensure they are used safely," he concluded.
To celebrate the milestone of the Queen becoming the first British Monarch ever to achieve a Platinum Jubilee following 70 years of service, thousands will celebrate the occasion during the four-day weekend from the 2 to 5 June.
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