Drivers are being warned that items, such as air fresheners and fluffy dice, hung from their rear-view mirror could land them a hefty fine, as well as points on their licence.
This is due to it being considered an obstruction to the driver’s view. In fact, anything that’s deemed to restrict the driver from having a full view of the road can result in a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points.
In the event of an accident – and even one that’s not your fault – the police can penalise you for driving with an obstructed view.
Furthermore, those who challenge the penalty in court could also be given a maximum fine of £1,000.
Rebecca Ashton, IAM RoadSmart head of driver behaviour, told The Sun: “Missing something because you had something obscuring your view could potentially be extremely dangerous.”
Having an item hanging from the rear-view mirror can also affect insurance, as companies are unlikely to cover damages or injuries caused in a crash if the driver’s vision was impacted by the items.
What’s more, drivers can even fail their MOTs due to this – often service centres won’t approve the car until the object is removed.
Ashton added: “Good driving involves exceptional observation skills, seeing things early allow you to anticipate and plan how you deal with hazards.”
