The responsibility for littering from a motor vehicle generally falls on the vehicle owner or registered keeper unless they can identify the actual person who littered.
- In New South Wales, Australia, under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, the vehicle owner is deemed liable for littering from their vehicle unless they provide a statutory declaration identifying the person responsible or in charge of the vehicle at the time
- In England (outside London), the Littering from Vehicles Outside London (Keepers: Civil Penalties) Regulations 2018 allow councils to issue a civil penalty notice to the registered keeper of the vehicle from which litter was thrown if the actual litterer cannot be identified. However, if the litterer inside the vehicle is identified and prosecuted, the keeper’s liability is discharged
- In Saint Lucia, both the registered owner and the driver of a vehicle commit an offence if any person in the vehicle litters. They are liable for fines or imprisonment unless they prove due diligence to avoid the offence
In summary, the vehicle owner or registered keeper is usually held responsible for littering from their vehicle unless they can demonstrate who actually littered or prove they took all reasonable steps to prevent it. This legal framework aims to encourage vehicle owners to identify offenders and discourage littering from vehicles.
