Top 10 surprising driving offences: are you guilty?
You can be fined for breaking the surprising, little-known, and unusual rules of the road in the UK. There is a good chance that you break some regularly. Here are some you may have broken before…
Driving offence: splashing pedestrians
The Road Traffic Act requires you to drive with reasonable consideration for other road users – including pedestrians. You cannot therefore splash through puddles and soak pedestrians without being punished, however funny you may find it…
Driving offence: flashing headlights
Flashing your lights at a fellow driver to say ‘thank you’ or ‘get out my way’ is prohibited. The Highway Code says only flash ‘to let other road users know you are there’. Do not ‘convey any other message’ or ‘intimidate others’.
Driving offence: foggy windows
As you may have found out before, snow, frost, and condensation on your vehicle’s windows can take a long time to clear. It can be tempting to clear just enough to get a small glimpse of the road then start driving, but you can be penalised if your view is impeded as it unnecessarily increases the risk of collision.
Driving offence: free roaming pets
Your pet must be secured in the car to stay on the right side of the law. Dogs aren't allowed to roam around for the risk of interfering with the driving and causing a collision. Your pet can be secured via a chest harness that clips into one of your vehicle’s seatbelt buckles, or a crate.
Driving offence: honking horn
The Highway Code says that you cannot honk ‘while stationary on the road’ and can't be used in a ‘built up area’ between 11:30pm and 7:00am’. The exception is if ‘another road user poses a danger’. You cannot sound the horn ‘aggressively’ in any circumstance, the Highway Code adds. ‘Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence.’
Driving offence: not wearing glasses
You can be punished for not wearing glasses or contact lenses to correct your sight, if restriction code 01 is printed on your licence. This, of course, is because without help your sight is below the standard needed to drive.
Driving offence: wrong address on licence
If the postal address on your driving licence is wrong, you can be fined £1,000. To avoid this issue, update your details online as soon as move at www.GOV.uk. The process is quick, easy, and free but you can apply by post if preferred. Either way, you can continue to drive while you wait for a new licence to be delivered.
Driving offence: driving too slowly
While there are no set penalties against driving too slowly, you could still get in trouble if your driving is considered a hazard to others. In this instance, you would likely be penalised for “driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users”
Driving offence: warning other drivers
As you pass a mobile speed camera, it might be tempting to flash your lights to warn other drivers to slow down. However, this is unwise. You could be penalised for wilfully obstructing the police.
Driving offence: throwing litter from a car
You will be fined if you're caught throwing litter from a car. Not only that, but if a passenger is caught throwing something out of a window it's the registered keeper that will need to pay the fine...
