IN days past a younger driver would be very short on street cred if his or her wheels were not treated to some form of modifications.

But some took it too far with illegal howling exhausts and totally blacked out windows.

But while Fast and Furious may still be a movie hit, such 'souped-up' cars with outrageous modifications have become an increasingly rare sight on Britain's roads.

Research from Direct Line Car Insurance reveals that prosecutions for illegal car modifications in the UK have declined significantly, with motorists turning away from aftermarket car upgrades.

The number of motorists penalised for unlawfully altered exhaust systems and silencers decreased by an astonishing 43 per cent, from 2013 to the end of 2015.

Police forces also reported a 49 per cent decrease in offences relating to wrongly-coloured headlamps and rear-facing lamps, as the trend of switching bulbs is also in decline.

While LA celebrities love to hide behind their tinted windows, the trend for blacked out windows is declining in the UK.The number of prohibition notices served for tinted windows decreasing by 68 per cent between 2013 and 2015.

If you own a car that has been changed from the manufacturer's original specification it's safest to call your insurance company and check.Motorists who do not declare modifications to their vehicle could invalidate their insurance and be driving illegally.

A separate study carried out by the insurer among recently retired traffic police officers reveals visible modifications have a significant impact on the frequency with which vehicles are pulled over by law enforcement.

So is the trend for individualizing vehicle dying a death?

Most certainly not - it is now been tamed, dumbed downand is perfectly legal, being done for you when you order your new car. It is called customizing and more and more manufacturers are offering the service.