Motorists heading to Glastonbury this week have been warned that some simple driving errors could result in a hefty fine.
With around 200,000 punters heading to the five-day festival, they have been told to expect all nearby motorways and roads to be heavily congested. While it’s important to prepare your trip ahead of time, you should also check your vehicle for a few key things to make sure it’s up to code.
Motoring experts at National Scrap Car warned that a few easy mistakes could land drivers in a lot of legal trouble and ultimately punish their wallet. This includes things that are easy to ignore, like a dirty license plate and putting too much stuff in the trunk.
Motoring expert Dorry Potter said: “Proper preparation and compliance with traffic laws is crucial to preventing accidents and ensuring a smooth journey to the festival. Thorough vehicle checks, including tire pressure, fuel levels fluids and the condition of the battery, are essential to avoid breakdowns on the way to the festival or any unpleasant surprises when leaving the site on Monday.
“In addition, it is estimated that between 10% and 20% of all accidents are due to driver fatigue, with highways and expressways experiencing the highest volume of accidents. Since festivals are held in rural settings and partygoers travel long distances, the risks are clear. Make sure you are well rested and not under the influence of alcohol before getting into your vehicle or after the festival.”
Here’s a breakdown of the things that could cause you problems on the road to Glastonbury this week…
Dirty license plates
With the possibility of rain on the horizon for the festival, drivers are urged to keep their license plates clean to avoid a hefty fine. Under the Vehicle Registration and Excise Act 1994, if you are caught with a dirty number plate you could receive an immediate £100 fine.
If the case goes to court this could increase to a level 3 fine of £1,000.
Honking incorrectly
While traffic jams are synonymous with festivals, as infuriating as they may be, using your horn for reasons other than alerting others to your presence, such as out of frustration, could result in a fine. The use of horns is generally limited to warning purposes only.
A horn should only be used to warn someone of danger from another vehicle or any other type of danger, not to express your irritation.
It is also illegal to use a horn on a moving vehicle on a restricted road, essentially a road with street lights and a 30 mph limit, between 11:30 pm and 07:00 am.
Police can fine drivers for illegal use of car horns. This is usually a fixed penalty notice (FPN) of £30.
If drivers dispute an FPN, they can challenge the decision in court, but if they lose, the fine can increase up to £1,000.
Overloading your vehicle
Going to a festival often means filling your vehicle to capacity with everything from tents to extra passengers and food supplies. However, according to DVSA roadside enforcement guidelines, drivers could be hit with a fixed fine of £300 if their vehicle is found to be 15% or more overloaded.
An overload of 0-10% can result in a fine of £100, while an overload of 10-15% can result in a fine of £200.
The maximum payload weight varies depending on the size of your car. For smaller vehicles such as the Renault Clio, Fiat 500 and Volkswagen Polo, the maximum payload weight ranges between 385kg and 482kg.
With four adult passengers, each with suitcases, tents and supplies, it is easy to dump a 400kg payload.
Flashing lights outside the festival grounds
Highway Code Rule 110 states that headlights should only flash to communicate “I’m here”, alerting other drivers to your presence. Turning on your lights out of frustration, to give way to other drivers or to convey any other message could result in a fine of up to £1,000.
Wearing wellies while driving
Your feet will no doubt be adorned with a variety of footwear during the festival, from wellies to crocodiles. But wellies or muddy shoes pose a significant risk when driving, as they can easily slide on the pedals.
If a driver is involved in an incident and the police notice that they are wearing inappropriate footwear, they could be charged with “driving without due care and attention”, which could result in a £100 fine and three points being accumulated on their driving license.
Should it go to trial, the fine could rise up to £5,000 with nine penalty points and potentially even a driving ban, so it is advisable to put on suitable footwear before setting off.
Experts advise that drivers pack a spare set of clothes and shoes and keep them inside their vehicle throughout the festival, so they have dry, comfortable clothes to wear during the trip home.
