Little Known Driving Laws

You’ll know the basic laws of driving if you have taken and passed your test. We are talking about obvious things like not speeding or driving while under the influence.

If, however, you are a driver who strives to avoid any endorsable offences at all costs, it is important to familiarise yourself with some of the less-known laws. These can result in not only points being added to your licence, but also an expensive fine. These laws apply to hire vehicles too. For Van Hire Bristol, contact Autolyne, a leading Van Hire Bristol company.

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Do not be a slowcoach The RAC Foundation’s analysis shows that nearly 2.4 million speeding offences were reported in England and Wales during the period 2018-2019. It is therefore no surprise to learn that driving too slowly can result in three points being added to your licence and a fine on the spot of £100.

Being a good Samaritan doesn’t always pay off
It may seem like you are doing your neighbours a favour, but informing the traffic that the police are around the corner could be costly. A flashing of your headlights in order to alert other motorists of a speeding camera is considered “wilfully interfering with a constable’s duty”. You could be fined £1000 for this. This would violate section 89 (of the Police Act of 1996) which says that the only purpose of flashing your headlights should be to inform other road users of your presence.

Reduce the volume
It’s not a good idea to enjoy a mini-rave behind the wheel. While there’s no law that prohibits playing loud music in a vehicle, if authorities believe it could cause distractions they can fine you up to £100 and possibly add three points to your licence. If that wasn’t bad enough, your car could be seized if you don’t turn down the music.

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Do not let your dogs hang out
Fido might enjoy sticking his head through the window to feel the breeze in his ears. Be warned that as much fun as this may be for your dog, you may not enjoy it as much as you thought. You could face a significant fine or lose points for failing to properly restrain your pet in the vehicle. Driving with pets on board can be dangerous if you are distracted. You will receive a £5000 penalty and nine points.

McDonald’s can cost an arm and leg
While most know that it’s illegal to operate a phone while driving, it can be easy to forget this when you pay at the drive-through. If you have the engine still running, you can be fined up to £1000 and get 6 points added on your licence for simply touching your phone. If you do not switch off the engine or apply the handbrake to your car, you may find yourself with a ‘not so’ Happy Meal.