Helena Bonham Carter may have broken the law on Friday when she had five people, including herself, in her four-seat Fiat 500.
The actress, 55, stepped out with her son Billy, 17, and daughter Nell, 13, and two of their friends for an outing to the shops in London, before the quintet then crammed into her car for their departure.
Driving with more passengers than there are seats in the car can possibly be deemed dangerous driving, and as a result a driver can face court action and be given a £5,000 fine.
Overloaded: Helena Bonham Carter risked breaking the law by having five people in her four-seat Fiat 500 after taking her children Nell, 13, and Billy, 17, out shopping with two friends
The maximum number of passengers that can safely be in a car is therefore determined by the number of seatbelts it has been fitted with, and a Fiat 500, like Helena’s, has only two in the back.
All children under the age of 14 are required to wear a seat belt and be in the correct car seat whilst in the car, and a driver can be given a £500 fine if this isn’t the case.
The driver is obliged to make sure that every passenger is wearing their seatbelt if fitted, and if a person is found travelling without one then they can be given a £500 fine on the spot.
Outing: The actress stepped out with her son Billy, daughter Nell and two of their friends for a shopping spree in London, before the quintet then crammed into her car for their departure
Danger: Driving with more passengers than there are seats in the car can possibly be deemed dangerous driving, and as a result a driver can face court action and be given a £5000 fine
Risk: The maximum number of passengers that can safely be in a car is therefore determined by the number of seatbelts it has been fitted with, and a Fiat 500 has only two in the back
Overloading a car by having more passengers than seats may also lead to the driver having reduced visibility through their rearview mirror.
As well as a fine, a driver risks getting given penalty points on their licence if they overload their car with passengers, or with heavy cargo.
Helena, her children, and their friends were seen heading to the Fiat 500 after going to the shops, and putting their purchases in the boot before going inside.
Safety: All children under the age of 14 are required to wear a seat belt and be in the correct car seat whilst in the car, and a driver can be given a £500 fine if this isn’t the case
Responsibility: The driver is obliged to make sure that every passenger is wearing their seatbelt, and if a person is found travelling without one then they can be given a £500 fine
Driver: Overloading a car by having more passengers than seats may also lead to the driver having reduced visibility through their rearview mirror
Her daughter Nell sat up front with Helena, while Billy and their two friends were sat in the back of the car.
MailOnline has contacted Helena’s representatives for further comment.
Helena shares her two children with her ex Tim Burton, 61, and the pair had a famously unconventional 13-year relationship which ended in 2014.
Punishment: As well as a fine, a driver risks getting given penalty points on their licence if they overload their car with passengers, or with heavy cargo
Journey: Helena, her children, and their friends were seen heading to the Fiat 500 after going to the shops, and putting their purchases in the boot before going inside
Passengers: Helena’s daughter Nell sat up front with Helena, while Billy and their two friends were sat in the back of the car
She is currently dating writer Rye Dag Holmboe, 32, gushing in late 2019 that their romance has been ‘a bit of unexpected magic in my life’.
On finally moving on from Tim, the Enid star – who previously dated Irish actor Kenneth Branagh between 1994 and 1999 – admitted she grew tired of ‘grieving’ their relationship, and now leads a ‘happy’ life with her new boyfriend.
Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar UK, the thespian shared: ‘You break up, you grieve, you get bored of grieving. And then you finally move on’
‘I’m very happy with someone else. It’s been a bit of unexpected magic in my life.’
Stroll: Helena and the teens were seen chatting together as they headed to the car
Family: Helena shares her two children with her ex Tim Burton, 61, and the pair had a famously unconventional 13-year relationship which ended in 2014
Relaxed: The quintet appeared to be at ease as they walked to Helena’s car after shopping