Flags attached to cars are not allowed to obstruct the driver’s vision

Government guidance says: “The majority of vehicle flags currently on sale are legal, provided they are fitted to the vehicle in a sensible manner.”

Flags can be flown from cars so long as they don’t obscure the driver’s view or pose a danger to pedestrians and other road users. (Danny Lawson/PA) (PA Archive)

Social media users have been sharing a post on X which claimed that people “could be fined for flying the England flag during Euro 2024”.

Evaluation: Missing context

The fines are only for people flying a flag – of any type – from their car in a way which obstructs the driver’s view. The law prevents items which would obscure a driver’s view or cause danger to pedestrians or other road users.

The facts

Regulation 30 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations says: “Every motor vehicle shall be so designed and constructed that the driver thereof while controlling the vehicle can at all times have a full view of the road and traffic ahead of the motor vehicle.”

Government guidance from 2010 said: “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.

“However, it is worth noting the following points: flags which are so large that they obscure the driver’s view of traffic ahead of the vehicle may contravene Regulation 30 of The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

“Flags which are constructed or positioned in such a way that they can cause danger to pedestrians or other road users could contravene Regulations 53 or 100 of the above regulations.”

Links

X post (archived)

The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (archived)

Gov.uk – Mascots and flags (archived)