There’s a certain Jellycat stuffed toy that’s gone viral in 2024 for its car-related use. A British influencer couple, Elle and Michael, seem obsessed with the brand and its huge catalog of hyper-cute stuffies. One TikTok blew up this year, gaining more than a million views, tens of thousands of likes, and hundreds of comments. It’s the Jellycat cherries: a pair of stone fruits joined together with stem and leaf. Elle decided to hang the cherries from her Fiat 500’s rearview mirror. For whatever reason, the internet went wild in support.

Think twice before you put Jellycat cherries in your car

The TikTok shows Elle hanging the toy fruits up on her rearview mirror. The comments section fully supports the move. “Cute!” “A need!” “I’m doing it – are you??” Some even share that they hung up other Jellycat toys in the same place, like stuffed tomatoes or marshmallows.

However, dangling random objects from your rearview mirror can have unexpected consequences.

Keith Hawes is the Director at Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, a leasing quote service in the UK. “With Jellycats trending as a popular Christmas gift this year, drivers are advised to keep cuddly toys out of their cars to ensure road safety,” he says. “Drivers who obstruct their view when driving not only increase their risk of accidents on the road but also put themselves liable to high fines and penalties.”

Stateside, the fines aren’t actually all that high. In Ohio, anyway, it’s less than $100. But they can still smart, especially for young drivers not expecting a ticket.

I wholeheartedly agree on the safety aspects. And I’m not just referring to stuffed cherries. Having anything blocking or distracting you from seeing clearly out of your windshield is just a bad idea.