Air fresheners can partially block your front or rear windscreen which can lead to a safety hazard and put road users at risk. Police will stop a motorist if they are deemed to be posing a significant hazard and can issue fines if visibility has been restricted.
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Having a blocked view of the road will see motorists hit with a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points.
However, this can rise to £1,000 if you try and appeal the decision through the court and are found guilty.
Driving with a hazard in front of your windscreen could affect your road safety and this could be enough for officers to charge you with a dangerous driving offence.
Car insurance companies can also decide to invalidate your policy by having a simple item such as an air freshener in your vehicle.
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Insurers will likely see visibility concerns as your own-faulty and can refuse to pay out on any claim for damage.
The law does not just apply to air freshers but anything which could block your view out of a front and rear windscreen.
Fluffy dice, football flags, car stickers and even a build-up of rubbish could be enough to axe your car insurance and be hit with a fine.
Rebecca Ashton, head of driver behaviour at IAM RoadSmart said: “Anything hanging from the rear-view mirror or anything placed on the windscreen could restrict the driver’s view.
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“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.”
The Highway Code states motorists should have a full view of the traffic ahead and windscreen and windows must be kept clear from obstructions.
GOV.UK has urged motorists to make sure their view the road is clear of stickers, toys and air fresheners before setting off to make sure they avoid fines and do not get caught out.
Rebecca Ashton added: “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.”
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However, there is no strict law banning air fresheners from a vehicle and motorists can still have one in their car if they take precautions.
Road users must select a part of the windscreen which is unlikely to cause a distraction to avoid being caught out.
Air fresheners should be placed fairly low on the windscreen and away from your direct field of vision to minimise distractions.
Having too many items in your car could be enough to fail an MOT and motorists are cautioned to check over their car thoroughly before taking it for their annual test.
Clear windscreen vision also relates to the outside of a vehicle and motorists could be stopped and fined for failing to clear their glass.
Winter weather will cause frost and ice to stick to a car and this must be fully cleared before setting off on a journey.
Failure to clear the icy build-up will prevent you from seeing hazards in the road which could lead police officers to issue a fine.
Frost cover can be removed within just a few minutes using simple tools such as a de-icer pick or spray.
Motorists can prevent frost build-up by placing a specially-designed cover on their vehicle or a tea towel over the glass.
A vehicle’s roof must also be clear to avoid penalties for driving without consideration to other road users.
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