We took a look at some of the obscure driving offences that you might not expect and how much you can be fined for them. We posted this on our TikTok page and it had a lot of love so we thought we would share it here too! See the TikTok video here. Now let’s take a look at the 11 unusual driving offences and how much you could be fined:
Deliberately splashing pedestrians
Splashing pedestrians may seem tempting to some drivers behind the wheel when passing a large puddle from rainy weather. However, doing so could leave you with a fine of up to £5,000.
Driving without your glasses
If your licence has a code that includes the rule to follow on wearing your glasses while driving, you could be charged with a £100 fine for not doing so. This fine could also be increased to £1,000 in court.
Obstructing emergency services
It is important to allow any vehicles from the emergency services through in an emergency, where safe to do so. As a result, anyone caught purposely obstructing vehicles from the emergency services could result in a fine of up to £5,000. If it is unsafe to allow them to pass, please do not do so. Always drive within the law, including while allowing emergency vehicles to pass.
Flashing your headlights
If you were to spot a temporary police speed trap, you might react by flashing your headlights to warn other drivers. However, by doing this, you would be obstructing the police. This means you may be punished with a fine of up to £1,000.
Using an unsecured sat nav
Whilst sat nav’s are a very important piece of equipment for drivers, it is important for them to be properly secured to prevent the driver being distracted or injured while driving. If you do not secure your sat nav or smartphone properly, making sure it does not cover any part of your windscreen, you risk a fine of £200.
Sounding your horn
Many drivers use their horn to show their frustration while driving, however it is actually illegal to use your car horn while stationary in traffic unless alerting another driver of a potential danger or hazard.
If you are caught beeping your horn in traffic that is not moving for frustration and not to alert a danger, you may be fined £1,000.
Leaving snow on the roof of your car
Leaving snow on your car roof risks an accident if the snow were to fall and block your view or another driver’s. This is both dangerous driving and driving without due care or consideration of others.
This could result in a £60 fine and your licence being hit with three penalty points.
Having an unsecured pet in your car
Traveling with pets in your car is not against the law, but it is crucial to ensure that they are safely secured, either within a carrier or by other means.
If pets are allowed to move freely inside the vehicle, the driver may face distracted driving charges, leading to a £100 fine and three points added to their license.
Not updating your address
Ensuring that your official records are current might appear self-evident, but it’s crucial to take the necessary steps.
Neglecting to update your address on your driving license could result in a fine of up to £1,000.
Having a hanging air freshener in your car
Placing an air freshener in a convenient location at the center of your car might seem tempting, but it comes with significant risks.
Since your windscreen must remain free of obstructions, using an air freshener that hampers your vision while driving could lead to a fine of £2,500.
Having a dirty or obscured number plate
Regardless of whether it occurs accidentally or not, having a number plate that is dirty or obscured, rendering your vehicle registration number partially or entirely unreadable, constitutes an offense under the Road Vehicles Regulations (2001).
Ensure your registration plate is clean and free of mud or dirt to avoid facing a fine of up to £1,000 for violating this regulation.
These were the 11 unusual driving offences and how much you could be fined. For more driving and car related posts, take a look at the Rooster Blog.