Garland on a car: what is the fine for New Year’s lights on a vehicle?

As the New Year approaches, Ukrainians are trying to create a festive atmosphere not only in their homes, but also in their cars. In particular, various garlands and light elements for decorating vehicles are becoming increasingly popular.

One of the issues that worries drivers is the legality of such decoration and the consequences for those who use them. The information portal “Fakty ICTV” answers this question.

Journalists turned to the Patrol Police Department, where they received clarification. As representatives of the service noted, decorating cars with garlands is considered a violation of traffic rules, which are described in section 31. This regulates the requirements for the technical condition of cars in order to ensure road safety and minimize environmental consequences.

According to paragraph 31.4.3 of the Traffic Rules, all lighting devices of a car must meet certain standards:

the use of external lighting devices with incorrect characteristics is prohibited;

the operation of the vehicle is unacceptable if the headlights are defective, the left headlight bulb does not work or the adjustment is broken;
the absence of diffusers or their improper use, as well as tinting that reduces the transparency of the light elements, is unacceptable.
The rules allow the installation of one or two rear red fog lights, as well as additional brake lights, if they are static.

As for garlands, representatives of the patrol police emphasized that such elements do not comply with the rules and may pose a threat to other road users. A fine of 340 hryvnias is provided for their installation.

It is important to note that the law prohibits the use of unregistered or unauthorized lighting devices on cars, so drivers should avoid using decorative lighting that contradicts the rules for operating vehicles.