Drivers warned of massive fines worth £13,000 for common Halloween decorations
Even minor offences can lead to an expensive fine
Leasing Options
Motorists could face enormous fines this week if they decorate their cars with Halloween-themed items, with charges potentially totalling thousands of pounds.
Halloween is always a popular time of the year with a 62 per cent increase in drivers searching for car decorations on Google in the past month, as well as 15 million views on TikTok.
The popular vehicle decorating trend was first started in the United States with “trunk or treat”, with the celebrations now spreading to the UK.
However, experts are warning that Britons could face large fines this week if they decorate their car in a way that could impact their driving or other motorists.
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Some drivers may take controversial steps to get a reaction from other road users with the decorations, including hanging a fake arm out of the boot.
While this is a popular decoration for people, the Road Traffic Act 1988 states that driving “without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road or place” is an offence.
It could lead the police to give people a £5,000 fine, and the potential for a further £1,000 charge if the arm covers the number plate.
Even seemingly innocent decorations like stickers and blood-covered handprints could land drivers with a massive £2,500 fine.
Before purchasing, drivers should make sure the stickers won’t damage the paintwork or leave residue on the windows.
Anything that obstructs the driver’s view of the road and their surroundings could lead them to use the vehicle in a dangerous condition.
In some cases, motorists could be slapped with a fine, three penalty points and invalidated car insurance if they are involved in a crash.
Experts at Leasing Options are urging drivers to make sure they are safe with their actions and not affecting other road users.
A spokesperson for the company said: “There are a variety of places you can place the spiderwebs inside and outside of your car, including on door handles, headrests and across the boot shelf.
“If you plan on using spiderwebs to decorate your car this year, make sure you can still see the road and your surroundings otherwise you could become a risk to others and be fined up to £2,500 and receive three points on your licence.”
With the American trend spreading around the world, drivers in the UK may be tempted to turn their boot into a Halloween scene.
This can include impressive displays featuring pumpkins, graveyards and ghosts, although drivers should only do this when the vehicle is stationary, even if it sounds obvious.
If someone plans on driving with a Halloween scene in the back, they must ensure the decorations do not block the view out of the rear window and keep the number plate visible.
In the event that drivers fail to abide by the rules of the road, they can be hit with a £2,500 fine and receive three points on their licence for dangerous driving.
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Drivers must ensure they have a clear view of their surroundings at all times
PA
Some drivers may even go as far as to change the colours of their headlights to make them Halloween-themed, but this can come with a £50 fixed penalty notice if they use red lights at the front, white lights at the back or neon lights on the side.
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