Drivers could risk £100 fine for Easter egg mistake on holiday road trips

A motoring expert has urged drivers to avoid making one mistake whilst carrying Easter eggs inside their car this weekend in a bid to avoid accidents and a huge fine. The Easter holidays are always a particularly busy time for the UK road network, with the AA predicting more than 18 million journeys on each day of the weekend.

However, no matter when drivers plan to travel over Easter, Bryn Brooker, Head of Road Safety at Nextbase, urged parents to avoid giving their children chocolate before or during the trip.

He explained: "Dealing with excited children in the back seat can be challenging. Easter treats can heighten that distraction - as children demand immediate unwrapping of chocolate or simply go through sugar highs and lows from all the chocolate. Rule 148 warns against driving while distracted.

"Try to prepare children for any long drives stuck in traffic by not feeding them a heap of sugar just before setting out - and setting them up with a tablet or similar distraction. Driving while distracted could easily lead to a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice for ‘driving without proper control'."

Whilst many families like to pack snacks for long journeys, those travelling with young children should be particularly considerate about what they eat - avoiding sugary choices.

By preventing children from eating chocolate Easter eggs during the trip, parents can prevent them from becoming more energetic and unpredictable, reducing the risk of drivers becoming distracted.

Nextbase also suggested that motorists who plan to eat Easter eggs behind the wheel make sure that the snack does not distract them from the road, with both sources of diversion putting drivers at risk of a £100 fine.

Bryn also recommended that drivers make sure their car is prepared for lengthy journeys, particularly urging motorists to make sure the fuel tank or battery is replenished before taking to the road.

He added: "With traffic jams predicted, drivers should plan ahead to have more than enough fuel to reach their destination. Rule 149 prohibits stopping on motorway hard shoulders except in emergencies.

"Running out of fuel due to poor planning is not considered an emergency, and causing an ‘avoidable’ breakdown could see you potentially charged with a £100 fine and three points on your licence."

Finally, Bryn suggested that motorists taking long journeys over Easter make sure to take regular breaks, with the Highway Code suggesting a 15-minute stop every two hours.

He continued: "After a long weekend of activities, Rule 91 urges drivers not to begin journeys if tired.

"Driving while fatigued dramatically increases accident risk and could result in a careless driving charge, with penalties ranging from points to a driving ban."