While it might be common knowledge that general driving visibility can be significantly reduced when driving close to a fireworks display, with previous studies showing that certain areas in the UK have seen visibility reduced by as much as 64%, here at Dick Lovett, we want to draw drivers’ attention to another issue: firework residue.
With Met Office weather warnings for wind and rain cropping up every week, it’s clear to see that the British autumn is in full swing. However, windy, damp weather poses a significant risk to drivers, especially when there are fireworks displays on.
Official government ‘Fireworks: Be Safe, Not Sorry’ advice notes that parking for drivers at professional displays should be “well away from the display area and dropping zone”. The current advice for dropping zones from spent fireworks is a minimum of 100m x 50m.
More importantly, parking should be “upwind of the display” to avoid any damage to vehicles, which is where the risk of the ever-changing weather comes in.
If the wind changes to a downwind during the display, drivers could be at risk of debris landing on their vehicles, even if they’re within the safe upwind distance.
However, with previous reports showing that around 3.3 MILLION* British adults (7%) host private firework displays, drivers keeping their cars at home won’t be able to benefit from having distance from any displays.
If drivers aren’t able to keep their cars completely covered in a secure garage, we recommend that drivers cover their cars on Bonfire Night to ensure window and car paintwork protection from the embers.
If drivers don’t have a full car cover, they should consider at least covering the windscreen with a windscreen cover or damp bath towel to protect it from being covered by ash. But can fireworks damage cars?
When ash mixes with water - or rain - it becomes a paste-like substance, which can further impact visibility, not to mention making it tricker to remove from your glass.
For those who have already fallen victim to fireworks or bonfire ash falling on their car windscreen, we advise that you thoroughly clean your windscreen before setting off again.
Drivers should ensure that they’ve also thoroughly cleaned other parts of the windscreen like the wipers, as any trapped debris could spread across your screen once they’re turned on.
If drivers are caught at the roadside with a dirty windscreen, they could be landed with a £1,000 fine, points on their licence, or even a driving ban.
If their case went to court, then drivers could see their fine increase to £5,000 and receive up to 9 penalty points as under Regulation 30 of The Road Vehicles Regulations 1986, drivers are warned they must keep all glass clear of obstruction.
Similarly, the Highway Code states that ‘windscreens and windows MUST be kept clean and free from obstructions to vision’.
It’s better to be safe than sorry this Bonfire Night, but if you’ve experienced damage to your car because of fireworks, get in touch with our trusted servicing and repairs team, or visit us in Swindon or Bristol for a bodyshop repair.