When a summer of football is on the horizon, you may be wondering what the rules are around displaying flags on your car? Is it legal, and if so, what are the rules?
Can I drive with a flag on my car?
Following a change to the law in 2010 ahead of the World Cup, it stipulates that “It is not a specific offence to fly a flag on a vehicle and the majority of vehicle flags currently on sale are legal, provided they are fitted to the vehicle in a sensible manner.” So if you’re going to display a flag on your car, there are some rules to follow.
How can I display my flag?
If you have a flag displayed on your car or van, it must not obscure your vision. This applies to flags mounted in rear windows as well as those displayed outside the vehicle.
If you’re flying a flag outside your car, it must not be any larger than A4 in size. This is to ensure it does not to obscure the driver’s vision, or seriously impair the vision of another motorist should it hit their windscreen if it were break free from its mountings.
The flags must be mounted securely so they’re unlikely to break loose, and must also be fitted in such a way that they don’t cause a danger to pedestrians or other road users.
It’s also illegal to mount a flag on the bonnet or leading edge of your vehicle, unless it’s properly designed to collapse on impact.
What are the penalties if I get it wrong?
If you’re displaying a flag that contravenes any of the above rules, the general process will be for police to advise you on the correct procedure and let you off with a verbal warning, but this is entirely at the discretion of the officer.
If your flag or the way it is displayed is considered dangerous, then you could be charged with a vehicle ‘Construction and Use’ offence, the most likely consequence being a fixed penalty and points on your licence.
Whatever your plans are this summer, make sure you visit Euro Car Parts for your motoring needs.