Motorists in Wigan urged to brush up on driving law knowledge

Speeding, driving under the influence and uninsured are all some of the most well-known driving laws which people know not to break, but what are some lesser known laws?

Leading car insurance price comparison website Quotezone.co.uk has disclosed some of the more unusual laws in which many drivers will have broken without knowing.

Even the most careful motorists may be guilty of breaching from flashing a fellow driver in frustration, to splashing a pedestrian with a puddle.

Flashing a fellow road user can be interpreted as “furious” driving as the Highway Code states that headlights are only to be used for letting others know that you are there. This offence extends to alerting others of a speed camera or a police speed trap, which can carry a maximum penalty of £1,000 for wilfully obstructing a police officer.

Meanwhile splashing pedestrians can be considered as careless and inconsiderate driving, whether done with malicious intent or not. A common punishment for this is a £100 fine and three points on the licence but fines can rise up to £5,000.

Greg Wilson, founder of Quotezone.co.uk said: “Most of us are aware that we will receive a fine and points on our licence for speeding or talking on a mobile phone.

“But there are many rules and regulations of the road that we may not have been directly taught, that are very important to know in order to avoid prosecution.”

Getting angry behind the wheel could very well land you in hot water, excessive swearing can be classified as a breach of peace but could also land you with a £1,000 fine and three points.

Most drivers do not realise that having an unsecured pet is an offencem with the common punishment being a fine and three points, increasing to nine points in serious circumstances.

Driving too slowly is a rule that sparks controversy, with some believing that it is too harsh while others believe that eradicating slow drivers would lessen the severity of traffic jams. If caught not showing reasonable consideration for other drivers could land you with a £100 penalty and three points.

Greg said: “Motorists often assume that they only risk points on their licence by driving too fast, running a red light or causing an accident, but being a safe driver and keeping your licence clean isn’t as simple as that.

“Being wary of the less obvious rules, regulations and laws can keep drivers out of trouble with the law and help keep their insurance premiums down at a time when we all need to keep costs to a minimum.”