How celebrating the crowning of King Charles could land drivers a £2,500 fine

DRIVERS have been warned about excessively decorating their car with royal flags, bunting and stickers over this coming Coronation weekend.

With the national celebration just around the corner, experts are warning motorists of some basic road rules that could get them into trouble if broken – and even land them with a £2,500 fine.

1

Rule 30 of the Road Vehicles Regulations 1986 states that the driver must, at all times, ‘have a full view of the road and traffic ahead of the motor vehicle’.

Any obstructions within the front and rear windows could result in penalties of £100 on the spot, rising to £1,000 with three points on your licence.

Any decorations that fall off into the path of another moving vehicle could also result in motorists being found to be driving without due consideration for other road users.

This can carry on-the-spot fines of £100 and three penalty points, rising to up to £2,500 and disqualification in severe cases.

With these safety regulations and possible penalties in mind, Scrap Car Comparison has compiled four top tips to help you stay safe on the roads while having fun over the royal weekend.

Don’t place decorations near the front or rear of the vehicle

The main thing is to ensure that you have a clear view of the road and other vehicles at all times while on the road, so make sure your decorations aren’t restricting your sight from the front or rear of the vehicle or other key positions. 

Double-check your insurance

To make sure you’re covered while on the road, check your insurance before heading off.

If there are any items that class as a ‘modification’, make sure you notify your insurer of these before you plan to drive. 

Think about size

The larger the decorations, the more likely you are to run into trouble while driving, so smaller decorations can often be safer. 

Fasten decorations securely

Before heading off, double-check that your decorations are fastened on securely and aren’t likely to drop off while moving. 

This comes after drivers were warned that a two-word message could land them a £2,500 fine and a day in court.

Plus, owners of automatic cars were warned about an everyday mistake that might end up leaving them with a damaged gearbox.