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 Automotive Leasing, has weighed in on this pattern to spotlight what precautions folks ought to take in the event that they want to beautify their vehicles, and whether or not such a modification is authorized within the UK.
Is it unlawful to decorate my automotive 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 adjustments 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.
Nonetheless, since fairy lights emit a spread of colors, this could be a authorized gray space. It’s unlawful to drive with extra blue or purple lights except your automotive 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 automotive altogether. Whereas it could be acceptable to make use of them when the automotive is parked at residence and pose no danger to different highway customers, it’s best to keep away from their use totally to forestall any potential hurt or points they might trigger.
What does the regulation say?
Whereas there are not any particular legal guidelines governing fairy lights on automobiles, the next legal guidelines and concerns beneath the Freeway Code and different laws could apply:
Careless or harmful driving
The Highway 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 of 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 cellphone use.
Fairy lights might be thought of a distraction. If an accident happens whereas the car is supplied with fairy lights, the motive force could also be held responsible for damages in addition to violating this rule.
Impression on different highway customers
The Highway Automobile Lighting Rules 1989 govern the use, positioning, and performance of lights on automobiles. Their objective is to make sure highway security by standardising car lighting to cut back accidents brought on by poor visibility or confusion. Utilizing fairy lights whereas driving may breach these laws.
Brilliant or flashing lights could 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 adjustments to your automotive can influence insurance coverage prices, as suppliers classify all adjustments as modifications, even non permanent ones like fairy lights.
Key concerns:
- Failure to Declare: In case you are concerned in an accident and your automotive has fairy lights, your insurer could 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, doubtlessly holding you partially liable in an accident.
- Elevated Premiums: If fairy lights improve the danger – by distracting drivers, impairing visibility, or inflicting a fireplace hazard – your insurer could elevate your premium.
- Refusal of Protection: Some insurers could refuse to cowl automobiles with exterior ornamental lights altogether.
Whereas driving with fairy lights could be a enjoyable method to rejoice the festive interval, it’s essential to think about the potential dangers to your self and different highway customers. At all times guarantee your decorations adjust to the regulation, don’t distract different drivers, and test along with your insurer to keep away from any disagreeable surprises.
