Is it against the law to drive with your boot open?

Question

Just wondered if it was against the law to drive with your boot open as I accidently went in to the back of someone who had theirs open, but I cant remember seeing any breaklights!

Answer 1

it must be tied down securely and the lights must be clearly visitable. If the boot is open wide it is generally excepted if they is a colour cloth tethered to the end of any think sticking out of the boot i.e ladders. It cloth is meant to draw your attention to it. However if this is not the case and they braked sharply there could a case against them, for driving without due care and attention.

Answer 2

An open boot lid would NOT stop you seeing the brake lights, unless they had something protruding from the boot that did cover them, which you did not say. A boot MUST be frimly fastened, if the catch doesn't work then it must be tied shut. if you have something big in the boot it must be tied down so the item can't fall out. and if it protrudes more then a certain distance you must have a warning flag on it. Totally different thing if break lights don't work, but even then, the driver at the back always pays. If you hit the car in front, it will be argued that you were driving to close to be able to stop safely, and that is always your fault. The law states that you should drive a sufficient distance behind in order that you can stop safely NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.

Answer 3

I am not sure about just having a boot open, but if the brake light or any other lights were not visible because of this, then it is against the law, same applies if you have a bike rack that hides your rear lights, On the other hand the person at the back is always responsible so you are in a funny position , just be sure you tell your insurance company what you told us.

Answer 4

It's only against the law if you are a danger to other road-users. If the boot being open caused the view of the brake lights to be obscured or hidden from other road-users -then that would constitute an offence under the Road Traffic Act.

Also if there were objects falling from the boot or protruding from it - again, liable to cause injury to another road-user or pedestrian then the aboce would also apply!

Answer 5

I don't think its illegal in itself, but everyones car lights should work and be visible all the time, so if the person you ran into had obscured their lights then you might have a case. Usually peoples lights are on the main body of the car rather than the boot though, so either you didn't see them (maybe it was very bright sun that day?) or the bulbs were blown or they were too dirty for you to see?

Answer 6

I thought it was ok if it was tied down ie. if something big was in the boot and it didn't shut. But if you didn't see the lights it may not be your fault as after all it is against the law to have a missing light

Answer 7

This could well be an offence under the Contsruction and Use regulations.

However, you still have a duty of reasonable care. If you could not see any brake lights you should have anticipated that the car may have stopped or slowed suddenly without warning.

Answer 8

If its open it needs to be tied down and there needs to be a red or safety orange piece of warning on anything hanging OUT of the back past the boot or trunk.

Answer 9

not if the lights are not on boot lid they should be at sides of it they will get you for no due care and attention on that .did they need to brake suddenly or was it a controlled stop

Answer 10

you were driving too close. Shut up and pay your fine and the damages to the other car. Brake lights are over rated, we should go back to using hand signals for stopping and turning.