It’s cute to see cans tied to a wedding car, but is it legal? Tying cans to the back of your wedding car is not illegal in many places.
Tying cans to the back of your wedding car may be dangerous since they can fly off and hit other cars or people. Therefore, you should always drive carefully when tying cans on the back of your vehicle.
If someone gets injured by flying objects from cans all over the back of your car, you could legally be held responsible.
Is it legal to tie cans for a wedding getaway car?
It depends on the state, but generally, it is illegal.
In Florida, it is illegal to have a car with loose “substances which may be injurious to the feet of persons or animals or the tires of vehicles or in any way injurious to the road.”
(1) It is unlawful to place or allow to be placed upon any street or highway any tacks, wire, scrap metal, glass, crockery, or other substance which may be injurious to the feet of persons or animals or to the tires of vehicles or in any way injurious to the road.
(2) It is unlawful to allow any vehicle or contrivance or any part of same, or any load or portion of a load carried on the same, to drag upon any street or highway.
In California, it is illegal for a driver with their hands off the steering wheel to hold anything outside of the car (in other words: tied cans would not be okay).
In New York, if you tie up something that blocks your vision or has the potential to bounce into another car’s route, then you could get pulled over by police and given a fine.
Why do married couples tie cans to their car?
In some cultures, it may be an old tradition for newlyweds to tie cans on their wedding getaway car.
Long ago, the tradition was to tie old shoes and tin cans to the back of a carriage so that the sound would scare away evil spirits as the newlyweds made their getaway.
How many cans should be tied to the back of the getaway car?
There is no rule about how many cans should be tied to the back of a getaway car; usually, 6-8 cans are enough. However, if you tie too many cans, this could be too noisy for other road users.
Is there a penalty for tying cans to a getaway car?
Tying cans or old shoes to a getaway car generally is not legal, but if you want to do this tradition in the USA, make sure to check with your local police department first because some cities have ordinances against this.
If your city doesn’t have an ordinance against tying cans or other material to the back of a getaway car, then go ahead and tie those cans! Just be careful not to cause any traffic problems and ensure the cans are secured, so they don’t fall off your vehicle during the getaway.
Will I get a fine for tie cans to my car?
Most likely, the police officer will not fine you if you are tying cans to your getaway car, even it’s illegal.
Police officers understand it’s a big day for the couple. You are only tying the cans as a tradition and doing something funny and memorable for your wedding day.
If your cans are not tied securely or making too much noise, the officer would likely tell you to remove them.
However, if your cans fall off and cause a traffic problem or injure someone, then you and your spouse could be held liable in court.