Drivers urged to avoid winter mistake that leads | Tech News

Millions of drivers are anticipated to hit the roads during the busy festive period – whether or not it is to journey to see pals or relations or to participate in celebratory actions.

However, the AA is now warning all drivers that transporting their Christmas trees might really lead to hefty fines.

Motorists may very well be slapped with a £5,000 penalty if they are not cautious with their festive firs. That’s as a result of Rule 98 of The Highway Code states that a driver should secure their load and it should not stick out dangerously.

Guidance additionally urges drivers to make sure any hundreds are correctly mounted and that they don’t obscure your view or vehicle lights.

Despite this advice, many motorists proceed to make expensive errors every December. These might make your Christmas much less merry – and a lot more costly!

So to help stop this, the AA has shared their high suggestions to safely transport your Christmas tree home with out risking the high quality.

AA Patrol of the Year, Shaun Jones, defined: “Every year we see trees that are far too big for the car, tied on with bits of string or poking out of the boot. Not only can this damage your vehicle, but it also creates a genuine safety hazard if the tree blocks your view or falls off mid-journey.

“Even when you suppose it’s simply a short journey home from the garden centre, an unsecured load might price you 1000’s in fines or worse, trigger a collision.”

How to secure a Christmas tree to a car

Shaun went on to explain that if your tree won’t fit comfortably inside, use roof bars and secure it with strong ratchet straps.

He added: “Always place the tree in netting with the trunk dealing with ahead to cut back wind resistance and defend branches. Double-check that it’s not obstructing your mirrors, lights, or quantity plate earlier than setting off.”

Then, taking to TikTok, experts from cars.com went on to share even more tips on how to best bring a Christmas tree home.

Firstly, they said to make sure to get your tree netted, as this will make it easier to hold and lift. It should also prevent any branches from hanging over the windows of your car.

If you’re worried about the tree scratching your car, or that it will drip sap, try wrapping it with a blanket.

While it’s recommended to transport your tree inside the car, this isn’t always possible. If the tree is too big, the best option is to secure it on the roof of your car.

To do this, make sure the base of the tree is facing forwards. You can then secure it with strong ratchet straps.

The AA adds: “Always place the tree in netting with the trunk dealing with ahead to cut back wind resistance and defend branches. Double-check that it’s not obstructing your mirrors, lights, or quantity plate earlier than setting off.”

So there you could have it, simple suggestions to transport your Christmas tree with out being put on Santa’s naughty record!