Driving to a festival this Summer? How to avoid up to £12,000 in fines, according to Halfords
As festival season has officially arrived, droves of Brits are itching to see their favourite line ups. Whether they’re driving for just an hour, or half way across the country, there are a number of preparations and precautions festival goers need to know before setting off.
Luckily, Halfords is providing its top tips to ensure festival goers experience a smooth and safe journey, right from the front driveway, all the way to the main stage.
- Pack like a pro: How to avoid a fine of up to £300
Packing minimally and with the essentials in mind is key. Not only does overpacking lead to less room in the car, it can be extremely fuel inefficient, add stress to the gears, and not to mention, potentially lead to a fine.
While some festival go-ers may think they can get away with it. If caught, overloading your vehicle by just 10% can lead to a fine of £100! This is a figure which can rise to £300 if they exceed the limit by 15%.
To avoid an eye watering fine almost as expensive as a Glastonbury ticket, festival goers should check their car owner’s manual for the Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM), so that they can plan accordingly.
Don’t get caught out with bags obstructing your mirrors too, as you could be charged £100.
- Playlist precautions: How to avoid a fine of up to £5000
While it's tempting to bring the festival straight to your car, driving with music deemed too loud and distracting can lead to a £100 fine and three points on your license. If road authorities deem your music too loud to hear traffic, you could receive a fine of up to £5000.
Don’t take the risk, choose to drive with your music at a responsible volume where you can hear everything around you, and save the blasting speakers for the Fat Boy Slim set instead.
- Delegate your directions: Avoid a fine of up to £1000
If it's your first time driving to the festival, and the routes are confusing, it can be tempting to quickly check your phone but could also land you a £200 fine and six penalty points. In some cases, you can even be taken to court, issued a fine up to £1000, and receive a driving ban.
Instead, delegate the directions to one of your passengers, who can safely tell you where you need to go. If you’re all unsure or driving by yourself, park the car in a safe spot and recheck once your vehicle is stationary. Or, invest in a Sat Nav to avoid the patchy phone signals that tend to occur the closer you get to festivals.
- Seatbelt safety: How to avoid a fine of up to £500
Sometimes the simple rules are the ones we take most for granted. If the car is heavily packed with bags, it can be tempting to avoid wearing a seatbelt since you’re already crammed. But neglecting to do so, can lead to a fine of up to £500.
- Safe vehicle, safe journey
While one of the most exciting times of the year, festival season is also notorious for another, much less exciting factor… traffic. Much like how your body needs to prepare for hours of dancing, your car needs to prepare for heavy loads, long queues, and slow moving traffic.
These can be taxing on your car, and if it's not been serviced or tended to in a while, your journey could be over before it's even begun. If you’re looking to make it to Prodigy’s Glastonbury set in good time, it's essential you check your car's fluids, such as your engine oil and coolant levels, to ensure your car is well lubricated, is fuel-efficient, and decreases the risk of a breakdown, lessening your chances of looking more like a slow-starter than a firestarter.
- Driving under the influence: How to avoid a fine of up to £5000 and a criminal record
While it's tempting to start the day early and have a pre-drink, the downsides are all too apparent. Beyond putting other road users in serious danger, driving under the influence can entail a minimum twelve month driving ban, a fine of up to £5,000, 6 months’ in prison, and a criminal record.
Another factor to consider is the amount of alcohol drank over the whole festival period. Breathalysers can detect alcohol from up to 12 hours, so be wary of how much you have drank the night before driving home.
With the right preparation and planning, you can turn your drive to a festival from a chore, to part of the full fledged experience and Halfords’ is here to help. From Halfords’ free 5-point summer check, to roof boxes and emergency kits, they have everything festival goers need for the journey, the weekend, and the way back.