KEEP IT CLEAN! 47% of Brits unaware of fines and penalties for unclean vehicles
Research carried out by the car insurance team at Comparethemarket reveals that 47% of Brits were not aware that they can be fined, or given penalty points for having a dirty windscreen.
A lot of drivers may assume that this rule only applies to the exterior of a windscreen, but it applies to the inside of the vehicle as well.
While there is no specific law that says your car must be kept clean at all times, the Highway Code states that a driver’s vision must be free from obstruction, and drivers can be fined up to £2,500, receive 3 penalty points or even lose their licence for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition in relation to visibility. This could include having smears or marks on the inside of your windscreen, rubbish piling up inside that could become wedged under the pedals, or any clutter on dashboards that could obscure visibility of the road.
Comparethemarket reveals how many times a year motorists clean their vehicles, and the cities where the cleanest and dirtiest cars can be found.
Drivers in London clean the inside of their car 40 times a year on average, making it the UK location with the cleanest interiors
Londoners face the lowest risk of incurring fines and penalties for careless driving as a result of dirt, mess, or clutter as they clean the insides of their cars 23% more often than the national average. London is followed by Cardiff where drivers clean their interiors 38 times a year, and Nottingham, with an average of 36 cleans per year.
Sheffield drivers clean their car’s interiors the least, averaging just 20 cleans per year
Drivers in Sheffield admit to cleaning the inside of their cars just 20 times per year on average, which is 38% less frequent than the national average. This places them at the highest risk of fines and penalty points.
Plymouth follows closely, with drivers there cleaning their car interiors an average of just 21 times a year. Southampton, ranks third worst. with an average of 23 interior cleans per year.
Julie Daniels from the car insurance team at Comparethemarket says: “It’s important to regularly clean the inside of your vehicle and remove any potential dangers or distractions that could impact the ability to drive safely. Under the Highway Code, failing to do this would be considered dangerous driving, and could land drivers with an unlimited fine or three to eleven penalty points on their licence.
"The fact that 47% of Brits are unaware they could be fined or given penalty points for a dirty interior windscreen is concerning and the importance of removing hazards and distractions from the inside of a vehicle should be taken seriously, to ensure the safety of themselves, and other road users.”
