Then Please Read On To Discover How To Transport It Safely To Avoid A Fine!
If you’re planning on picking out the perfect Christmas tree over the weekend with your loved ones, you might want to consider how you’re getting it home safely and without being hit with a hefty fine!
Before purchasing your Christmas tree, plan how you’re going to transport it home safely to avoid a fine or penalty points! © Copyright terry joyce and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Travelling with a Christmas tree in/on your car that’s not been wrapped correctly, could result in you committing a CU50 motoring offence without you even realising, so it’s best to think about where and how the tree is going to be carried home before heading out to make a purchase.
The CU50 conviction code applies to those “causing or likely to cause danger by reason of load or passengers” and could lead to three points on your driving licence.
Also, if you don’t transport your Christmas tree correctly, you could be found guilty of “careless and inconsiderate driving” and this could end up costing you big time, with a £5,000 discretionary fine!
You can avoid both points on your licence and a hefty fine by following our simple safety steps below. It is possible to transport your Christmas tree home safely in your lease car with some careful thought and planning ahead.
Of course, the best position is on the roof of your car but it must be properly secured to ensure the safety of all road users.
Here’s our six simple tips for safely transporting your Christmas tree to your home this festive season, so that it can light up the room and hide presents under its branches until the 25th!
Our Top 6 Tips For Safe Transportation Of A Christmas Tree:
1. Purchase A Netted Tree – most Christmas tree sellers know that it should be wrapped in a net for easy transportation and usually provide a netting service. Once you’ve picked out your favourite tree, they will net it for you, as this makes it much more manageable and easy to transport back home.
2. Tree Placement – it’s more than likely that your chosen tree will not fit into your car, unless you’ve bought a really small one! Therefore, the best place to carry it is on the roof of your car but position it lengthways and make sure the stump is facing the front of the car. Doing this will limit wind resistance because of the angle of the branches.
3. A Roof Rack Is Helpful – one of the safest ways to transport a Christmas tree back home is by using a roof rack. You’ll have to ensure you’ve got bungee cords or strong ropes to secure the tree tightly to the roof, then tie the ropes tightly to the roof rack. Make sure the tree is secured all the way along, from top to bottom.
4. Roof Rack Not Possible, Use The Doors – don’t panic if you haven’t got a roof rack, as you can use the car doors instead and it still keeps you within the law. Rather than attaching the ropes to a roof rack, simply open the car doors and tie the ropes inside your car. As soon as you close the doors, the ropes will be held securely in place but it’s best to go straight home with your new tree.
5. Reflective Tags On A Overhanging Tree – depending on what size of tree you have bought, there might be some overhang once you position it on the car roof. If the tip of the tree is hanging over the back of your car, you need to place a reflective tag on the back so that other road users know to give you extra space.
6. Drive With Caution – carrying heavy goods such as a Christmas tree should have an impact on how you drive. Take extra care when driving around corners and stay a good distance away from the vehicle in front to avoid breaking sharply. Keep to the speed limits and take your tree straight home.
🎄 Safe & Happy Christmas tree Buying and Transporting! 🎄
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