In this viral TikTok video with over 17.9 million views (and counting), a consumer has adorned their automotive 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 Automobile Leasing, has weighed in on this development to spotlight what precautions folks ought to take in the event that they want to embellish their vehicles, and whether or not this sort of modification is authorized within the UK.
Is it unlawful to decorate my automotive with fairy lights?
There isn’t any particular legislation that prohibits the usage of fairy lights on the outside of your automobile; nonetheless, some modifications are unlawful, and the legality of the lights is decided by how they’re used.
Including LED fairy lights would fall below beauty modifications, that are modifications made purely for aesthetic functions. These sometimes embrace tinted windscreens, customized paintwork, or wheel equipment. Such modifications are a good way to make your automotive distinctive and stand out.
Nevertheless, since fairy lights emit a variety of colors, this is usually a authorized gray space. It’s unlawful to drive with further blue or crimson lights until your automotive is an emergency automobile. As fairy lights can emit these colors, it’s possible 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 automotive altogether. Whereas it could be acceptable to make use of them when the automotive is parked at house and pose no danger to different highway customers, it’s best to keep away from their use solely to stop any potential hurt or points they could trigger.
What does the legislation say?
Whereas there are not any particular legal guidelines governing fairy lights on autos, the next legal guidelines and issues below the Freeway Code and different laws might apply:
Careless or harmful driving
The Street Site visitors Act 1988 states that driving with out due care or in an unreasonable method can lead to 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. Just lately, police have cracked down even tougher on distracted driving with new AI cameras that detect telephone use.
Fairy lights might be thought-about a distraction. If an accident happens whereas the automobile is provided with fairy lights, the motive force could also be held answerable for damages in addition to violating this rule.
Impression on different highway customers
The Street Car Lighting Rules 1989 govern the use, positioning, and performance of lights on autos. Their objective is to make sure highway security by standardising automobile lighting to scale back accidents brought on by poor visibility or confusion. Utilizing fairy lights whereas driving may breach these laws.
Brilliant 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 automotive can affect insurance coverage prices, as suppliers classify all modifications as modifications, even short-term ones like fairy lights.
Key issues:
- Failure to Declare: If you’re concerned in an accident and your automotive has fairy lights, your insurer might argue that you simply did not declare the modification. This might invalidate your coverage.
- Negligence: Insurers may declare negligence in your half for utilizing distracting or unsafe decorations, doubtlessly holding you partially liable in an accident.
- Elevated Premiums: If fairy lights enhance 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 option to have a good time the festive interval, it’s necessary to contemplate the potential dangers to your self and different highway customers. At all times guarantee your decorations adjust to the legislation, don’t distract different drivers, and test along with your insurer to keep away from any disagreeable surprises.
