Car modifications have become increasingly popular among amateur engineers and wannabe racers over the last few years. Internationally popular franchises such as Need For Speed and Gran Turismo have prompted people to consider enhancing the performance and appearance of their own vehicles.
However, the police have introduced a variety of laws to ensure that cars remain safe and road-worthy. It would be worth considering the different penalties before pimping your ride!
Tinted Windows
Have a look through the pages of the latest motoring mags and you will see an assortment of sporty vehicles featuring tinted windows. It seems that these accessories are an absolute must-have for boy racers. However, it is a legal requirement to ensure that the windscreen tints have a sunlight transparency of 75%. The car insurance companies will take a dim view of drivers who violate this regulation.
Lighting Offences
There is no denying the contemporary style of undercar lighting. The variety of cool lights are guaranteed to make an impression during a cruise or at a car show, but the rule of thumb is that you can fit any light you like to a car, just never use them on the road.
For example motorists are also prohibited from fitting blue or green lights (even if they are not working) as these are for emergency vehicles only.
Red and white lights also have rules and you might be surprised to learn that red cannot be seen on the front and white (apart form reversing) cannot be seen on the back of a vehicle.
Fog lights should only be used if visibility is under 100m and failure to do so is a £30 Fixed Penalty Notice. If you want clarification read the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989.
Exhausts
You might be tempted to remove the exhaust silencer to increase the grunt of your souped -up speed machine. However, it's worth bearing in mind that the police will impose financial penalties if they discover that this adjustment has been made. It is also illegal to fit big bore exhausts which increase the amount of noise projected by your vehicle.
Number Plates
The police require all number plates to be clear and unobscured for the purposes of vehicle tracking and speeding identification. Vehicle owners are not allowed to make alterations to the style or shadowing of the lettering. However, it is still possible to buy a selection of distinctive personalised plates.
Other Legal Requirements
Now you may be slightly disheartened by the range of laws about modification. However, it's worth bearing in mind that there are plenty of stylish add-ons which comply with the law. You can learn more on the NIDirect website before choosing from the great selection of legal modifications.