Drivers could be fined for hanging air fresheners or other items from their rear-view mirror.
Motorists are even told that placing a sticker on the windscreen could land them in hot water.
The Highway Code and Road Traffic Act say that a driver is not permitted to use a vehicle if their view is obstructed in any way, and while it's not illegal to drive with large air fresheners or stickers, doing so could lead to a £100 on-the-spot fine. You could then be fined up to £1000 and hit with three points if you challenge this in court.
Rules became tighter following an incident in 2008 where a taxi driver was involved in a collision with a pedestrian – and fined for having a fluffy dice and air fresheners hanging in front of him.
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Rebecca Ashton, IAM RoadSmart head of driver behaviour, told the Mirror : "Anything hanging from the rear-view mirror or anything placed on the windscreen could restrict the drivers view, things people use tend to vary from air fresheners and dice hanging from the mirror to fans, large sat-navs and even using the navigation on an iPad.
"Missing something because you had something obscuring your view could potentially be extremely dangerous, good driving involves exceptional observation skills, seeing things early allows you to anticipate and plan how you deal with hazards.
"We would suggest it is placed low on the windscreen, on the right hand side and if possible within the area where the windscreen wipers don’t clear. The main thing to remember is you should always try to avoid the driver's field of vision."
Hanging decorations from the rear-view mirror, or use of stickers, could even affect your insurer paying out if involved in an accident, and could lead to you failing an MOT if the view is restricted.
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