In this viral TikTok video with over 17.9 million views (and counting), a person has adorned their automobile with fairy lights within the spirit of Christmas. Many customers are loving the thought and have began modifying their vehicles to show their very own festive lights.
Graham Conway, Managing Director at main UK lease agency Choose Automotive Leasing, has weighed in on this pattern to focus on what precautions individuals ought to take in the event that they want to enhance their vehicles, and whether or not this sort of modification is authorized within the UK.
Is it unlawful to decorate my automobile with fairy lights?
There isn’t a particular regulation that prohibits using fairy lights on the outside of your car; nonetheless, some modifications are unlawful, and the legality of the lights is set by how they’re used.
Including LED fairy lights would fall beneath beauty modifications, that are modifications made purely for aesthetic functions. These sometimes embrace tinted windscreens, customized paintwork, or wheel equipment. Such modifications are an effective way to make your automobile distinctive and stand out.
Nevertheless, since fairy lights emit a spread of colors, this is usually a authorized gray space. It’s unlawful to drive with further blue or crimson lights until your automobile is an emergency car. As fairy lights can emit these colors, chances are you’ll be stopped by the police and obtain both a warning or a penalty, at their discretion.
For security and to keep away from penalties, it’s strongly suggested to chorus from placing fairy lights in your automobile altogether. Whereas it could be acceptable to make use of them when the automobile is parked at residence and pose no threat to different street customers, it’s best to keep away from their use solely to stop any potential hurt or points they could trigger.
What does the regulation say?
Whereas there aren’t any particular legal guidelines governing fairy lights on autos, the next legal guidelines and concerns beneath the Freeway Code and different laws might apply:
Careless or harmful driving
The Street Visitors Act 1988 states that driving with out due care or in an unreasonable method may end up in penalties. If fairy lights impair your imaginative and prescient or distract you or different drivers, this can be thought-about careless or reckless driving.
Distractions
Rule 148 of the Freeway Code advises drivers to keep away from distractions whereas driving. Not too long ago, police have cracked down even more durable on distracted driving with new AI cameras that detect telephone use.
Fairy lights may very well be thought-about a distraction. If an accident happens whereas the car is supplied with fairy lights, the motive force could also be held chargeable for damages in addition to violating this rule.
Impression on different street customers
The Street Car Lighting Rules 1989 govern the use, positioning, and performance of lights on autos. Their function is to make sure street security by standardising car lighting to scale back accidents attributable to poor visibility or confusion. Utilizing fairy lights whereas driving may breach these laws.
Shiny or flashing lights might distract different drivers or pedestrians, resulting in potential violations of each the Lighting Rules and the above-mentioned careless driving guidelines.
Insurance coverage Impacts
Even small modifications to your automobile can affect insurance coverage prices, as suppliers classify all modifications as modifications, even non permanent ones like fairy lights.
Key concerns:
- Failure to Declare: If you’re concerned in an accident and your automobile has fairy lights, your insurer might argue that you just did not declare the modification. This might invalidate your coverage.
- Negligence: Insurers may declare negligence in your half for utilizing distracting or unsafe decorations, probably holding you partially liable in an accident.
- Elevated Premiums: If fairy lights improve the chance – by distracting drivers, impairing visibility, or inflicting a hearth hazard – your insurer might increase your premium.
- Refusal of Protection: Some insurers might refuse to cowl autos with exterior ornamental lights altogether.
Whereas driving with fairy lights is usually a enjoyable method to have fun the festive interval, it’s vital to think about the potential dangers to your self and different street customers. All the time guarantee your decorations adjust to the regulation, don’t distract different drivers, and test together with your insurer to keep away from any disagreeable surprises.
