Drivers face £1,000 fines from Thursday despite 'no specific law against it'

Drivers have been warned over £1,000 fines for flying England flags ahead of the Euros in Germany this summer. Many will be looking to show their national pride ahead of the Euros, with England set to kick off their campaign against Serbia on Sunday.

But Select Car Leasing road experts warn large flags could obscure the driver's vision of the road ahead. It could mean motorists and road users fall foul of Regulation 30 of The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

Regulation 53 of the same guidance could be broken if "mascots, emblems or other ornamental objects" attached to cars impact the vision of motorists. It states that objects must not be positioned "where it is likely to strike any person with whom the vehicle may collide unless the mascot is not liable to cause injury".

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Graham Conway, from Select Car Leasing, said: "Showing your support with a flag, scarf or mascot won’t be a problem for most. But it’s important to make sure the driver’s vision is never impaired by anything you attach to your vehicle.

“Not only could it risk causing an accident, but it could also hit you in the pocket. If you’re planning on flying a flag or attaching a mascot to your motor, make sure it can’t pose a risk to you or anyone else.”

A Government spokesperson said: “There is no specific law against flying a flag from your vehicle. We would simply encourage motorists to use their common sense to ensure their vision of the road isn’t impaired, and that it doesn’t jeopardise the safety of other road users.

“We shouldn’t hide our national flags which are a source of pride and identity. We anticipate that streets, cars and houses will be decorated with England flags during the Euros football tournament this summer.”