Fine hanging over you? What you need to know

You may really like your Today Team air freshener. It hangs at a jaunty angle from your rear view mirror, filling your vehicle with its delicious scent. Today Team gave it you. It’s not just an air freshener. It’s a reminder of the excellence of the 24 hour courier service you know and love.

And as for the pink fluffy dice your girlfriend gave you – it goes without saying that they’re the stuff of legend.

But you’re going to have to re-site them – it’s a £100 fine if you’re stopped and found to be in breach of this point of law; and you’re in danger of being fined up to £1,000 and incurring 3 penalty points if you dispute the case and lose.

Why? Because the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act clearly state that a driver is not allowed to use a vehicle if their view of the road ahead is obstructed “in any way.”

And the government has decided to toughen up on the wotsits and the oojamaflips that we allow to distract us during our commutes. For obvious reasons.

So your sat-nav, a phone holder or a sticker could also be creating a problem for your view of the road. As could dirt – make sure your windscreen wipers are doing an effective job, especially as road conditions worsen with the Winter weather.

You might also be impacting your insurance cover, as any accidents that occur if your vision is judged to have been impacted by decorations, as in the fatal crash of 2008 where the taxi driver was fined for having fluffy dice and two air fresheners crowding his view.

So, even if you think all this a bit excessive and want a good old chunter about the ‘Nanny State’, stay on the right side of the law.

Because, at the end of the day, it’s all about being safe and allowing others to stay safe too.