You could be fined up to £2,500 and given three penalty points if you don’t load up your Christmas tree correctly
Motorists who ignore vehicle loading rules when taking their Christmas tree home face tough penalties
MOTORISTS face hefty fines this Christmas if they fail to transport their tree home safely.
Carrying an unsecured or potentially dangerous load in your car can see you slapped with a fixed penalty and points on your licence - or even land you in court.
And with Brits starting to prepare their festive displays, it's important drivers don't push the boundaries on the road.
A recent study by Fiat Professional found a whopping 75 per cent of motorists don't know the rules on transporting large loads such as Christmas trees.
The survey found some six per cent of drivers admitted to having had a tree hanging dangerously out of their vehicle, while a further five per cent had strapped one on top of their car despite not having roof racks.
The Highway Code instructs road users they "MUST NOT overload a vehicle or trailer".
When transporting a Christmas tree, having part of it sticking out of your car or overhanging the end could be deemed as overloading.
If any part of the tree does overhang the car, drivers are required to attach a reflective tag to the end to alert other road users.
Poorly secured loads risk falling into the path of other motorists, while those that obstruct your view through the windscreen are also considered dangerous.
If you are spotted by police or on traffic camera ignoring these rules, you could be charged with "causing or likely to cause a danger by reason of load."
The offence carries a £100 fixed penalty notice and three points on your licence.
But if the case is considered more serious, or you wish to challenge it, you could be fined up to £2,500 in court - and even risk losing your licence.
Earlier this week, a speed camera operated by Devon and Cornwall police snapped a van driver dangerously transporting a giant Christmas tree.
the road laws you need to know
Travelling on the A38 towards Plymouth, the van was carrying a tree twice its size on the roof, with one end hanging precariously close to the road.
PC Jane Bickley shared the image on Twitter, slamming the driver's actions as "shocking".
We previously reported how road users could be charged with careless driving if they put decorations on their car this festive season.
And if you're not confident your Christmas tree will fit in the car, we also revealed the amount of cabin space in the UK's most popular models.