PUTTING a baby on board sticker on your car windscreen could land you in hot water with the police - and a potential fine of up to £5,000.

Drivers can be hit with hefty fines if it interferes with their field of vision whether it's a baby on board sticker or a football club logo. Here's how to avoid it.

It's not strictly illegal to have stickers on your car but The UK Highway Code clearly states 'windscreens and windows must be kept clean and free from obstructions to vision'.

This is the law because any kind of interference on your windscreens can limit your field of vision, potentially reducing reaction time and even contributing to an accident.

The Road Traffic Act also states "no person shall drive a motor vehicle on a road if he is in such a position that he cannot ... have a full view of the road and traffic ahead."

The rule also applies to the rear-view windscreen and windows.

If police deem a sticker prevents you from having a full view of the road, they can hit you with a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points on your licence.

However, you could be charged with careless or dangerous driving if you cause an accident.

Depending on the severity of the incident, you could be hit with a maximum £5,000 fine, nine penalty points and even be disqualified from driving.

Drivers could also fail their MOT if a sticker is placed in the path of their windscreen wipers.

To avoid landing yourself in trouble, be careful to make sure any sticker on your car doesn't impact your ability to see out the front and back windscreens.

The UK tightened up regulations ever since a taxi driver was fined for having furry dice and a two air fresheners hanging from their rear-view mirror when involved in a fatal collision with a pedestrian in 2008.

You can also be fined for having a frosty or dirty windscreen if it means that your vision is impaired when driving.

In November 2021 a lazy motorist was fined after he was caught driving around with ice and snow covering his windscreen.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said: "You should always ensure you can see out of your vehicle and anything that obstructs your view could lead to a charge of careless driving from the police.

"That is an instant £100 fine and three points.

"Whilst the law on rear windows is open to interpretation by the police, your windscreen should never have anything stuck in the swept path of your wiper blades – this is an MOT fail.

"That would include stickers, sat navs, or even a dashcam.

"If you did reverse into someone because you couldn’t see them that may be taken into account as an ‘aggravating factor’ in any subsequent court appearance and lead to a higher penalty.

"We are likely to see more and more stickers appearing in our windscreens in the coming years, as low emissions zones and parking controls become more common so it is vital that safety is never compromised."

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