20 Driving Habits You Didn’t Know Were Illegal

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When you’re just starting your driving journey, it can be difficult to get to grips with the rules of the road. And let’s be honest, even for seasoned drivers there are rules out there that will still leave you scratching your head. In this article, the 1st Call Windscreen team will be taking a look at some driving behaviours that you wouldn’t believe are illegal in this country. Let’s jump straight in!

Playing your music too loud

Blaring music with your windows down is considered pretty anti-social by most, but did you know that it’s actually illegal? So if you get a warning from a policeman, make sure that you listen!

Hogging the middle lane

When on the motorway, you should be sticking to the leftmost lane unless you’re overtaking. Although it can be tempting to sit in the middle lane sometimes, we wouldn’t recommend it, as this could net you a £100 fine and 3 points on your licence.

Driving slowly

This might come as a surprise to some, but it shouldn’t. Driving consistently under the speed limit is a surefire way to anger certain motorists, which could encourage them to do something rash.

Driving over the 10% plus 2

In the UK, the law states that you won’t actually be given a speeding ticket unless you were driving 10% over the speed limit plus an extra 2mph, so this means you would have to be driving 35mph in a 30mph zone. In such circumstances, you could be hit with a fixed penalty or even be told to attend a speed awareness course.

Beeping your horn unnecessarily

Just seen your mate across the road? We would advise against honking your horn, as using your horn unnecessarily could see you get hit with a £30 fine!

No cradle for your phone

While using your phone as a sat nav isn’t illegal, leaving it lying in the central console while it’s in sat nav mode is. That’s why you should always make sure you always have a cradle for your phone in your vehicle.

Eating and drinking at the wheel

While there’s no specific law against eating and drinking whilst at the wheel, if you get distracted from driving whilst doing so (which isn’t difficult), this is breaking the law.

Changing the song

Everyone likes to listen to music while they drive, but we would recommend setting up a playlist beforehand, because if you get caught looking at your music system instead of the road, this will also be considered breaking the law!

Flashing over drivers as a warning

You might think you’re doing a good deed by flashing your lights at other drivers to warn them of cameras, but this could actually get you in trouble, so we would advise against it.

Forgetting to turn your lights on

When winter rolls around it can be easy to forget to turn your lights on once the sun goes down, but this can be a very expensive mistake to make, so stay vigilant!

A dirty licence plate

Can’t read your licence plate? Well that means the police can’t either, and that could be a serious problem that could land you with a £100 fine!

Charging someone for a lift

While it’s OK to take a little petrol money, actually making a profit off a casual lift is illegal unless you have the proper licencing.

Swearing at other road users

Whether you’re in a vehicle or not, disorderly rules still apply, so think twice before you give someone the middle finger out on the road, because you could get fined for it.

Driving through a puddle and splashing someone

Maybe you’ve seen this a lot on TV and wanted to give it a shot? We wouldn’t recommend it, because if you get caught doing it on purpose, you could get 3 points on your licence.

Paying for food on your phone at the drive-thru

This one might seem a little crazy, but because you’re not allowed to use your mobile in your vehicle, even when stationary, you can’t pay for drive-thru food with your phone, only with cash or card.

A snowy roof

If there was a big dump of snow the night before, your first priority should be getting it cleared off your car. Leaving it there is hazardous to other road users and could get you in trouble.

Sleeping in your car whilst drunk

If you’re too drunk to drive, unfortunately, kipping in your car still isn’t an option, even if you’re stationary with the ignition off. This is because the police might think you had intentions of driving, which could see you get 10 points and a fine.

Stopping on the hard shoulder for a rest

The hard shoulder might look tempting given that it’s always empty, but this isn’t a safe place to stop. Stopping there without good reason will net you 3 points and a £100 fine, so avoid it!

Letting a passenger hold a baby in a vehicle

Even if the passenger insists that they want to hold the baby, you need to remain firm. You are ultimately responsible for people’s choices in your vehicle, so don’t let a passenger hold their baby whilst you drive.

Parking on a single yellow line

Whether it’s 1 minute or 30, parking on a single yellow line isn’t a good idea and getting caught will see you landed with a £130 fine, so think before you park!

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