Motorists are urged to know five ways their passengers (and pets) could hit them with up to £6,250 in fines.
As if owning and running a car wasn’t expensive enough, and with the cost of living crisis, rising prices and inflation, making sure your vehicle costs are down is a must. .
When driving a vehicle, we have become accustomed to the laws and regulations to be a careful driver, following the rules of the road.
However, many Brits may be unaware of how your passenger can impose a hefty fine on you.
To warn Brits of unexpected fines, Charlotte Rennox, medical negligence expert at Fletchers Group, has published five ways a passenger and pets can land a driver with a fine – totaling £6,250.
So here’s what Ms. Rennox advised you to watch out for, in order to avoid being slapped with those costs…
Many Britons may be unaware of how your passenger can actually impose a hefty fine on YOU (file image)
1. Seat belts
Estimated fine: £100
While it might be obvious to regular drivers, the medical negligence expert says you need to let your passengers know that wearing seatbelts is the law.
Ms Rennox said: ‘It has been ingrained in drivers to always wear a seat belt, to the point that it has rightly become second nature, however, your passengers may not be the same.’
“Wearing seat belts became compulsory for all rear seat occupants in 1991 and so if your passengers are found without a seat belt you could face three points on your license and a possible driving ban, even if you wear one.”
She added: ‘The main benefits of wearing a seat belt are obvious in that they can literally save your life, but making sure everyone in the car is wearing them before you leave could help you avoid a £100 fine.
“Protecting children while driving is crucial, so it is your responsibility to ensure that every passenger under the age of 14 wears a seat belt. If you get caught, you could be fined for every child who doesn’t wear their seatbelt while driving; it can be up to £500.
2. Smoking
Estimated fine: £50
The expert advised: “As of October 2015, smoking cigarettes in the car with anyone under the age of 18 is illegal. The driver and smoker could be fined £50. The financial implications of this are significant, but more importantly, smoking in a car can cause children to inhale the toxins and chemicals from the cigarette, potentially creating major respiratory problems in the future.
“The law doesn’t apply to e-cigarettes, a 17-year-old driver in their own car, or driving a convertible with the roof fully down, but it’s still not worth the risk.”
3. Use a phone
Using a phone while driving is illegal and extremely dangerous. And if a passenger uses their phone to supervise a learner driver, you could face a fine of up to £1,000 as well as six points on your license (file image)
Estimated fine: up to £1,000
UK drivers have also been told that using their phones while driving – even if they are supervising learner drivers – can see them slapped with a huge fine.
The expert said: ‘We know driving while using a phone is illegal and extremely dangerous, but did you know that a passenger using their phone could get you fined?
“If a passenger uses their phone to supervise a learner driver, you could face a fine of up to £1,000 as well as six points on your licence.
“As the person assisting the learner driver, you also need to have full visibility and attention on the road, as if you were the real driver.”
4. Too many passengers
Estimated fine: £100
Ms Rennox added that excess passengers can see motorists fined around £50,
She said: “At the end of the day, cars shouldn’t carry more people than they are designed for. Although there are no strict laws about having your car filled to the brim with passengers, it can seriously invalidate your insurance if you get caught.
“However, having too many passengers can cause a host of driver distractions, such as not seeing their exterior mirrors and creating blind spots, increasing the risk of collisions.” If you are pulled over for reckless driving, you could be fined £100 on the spot.
5. Pets
Traffic laws state that animals must be restrained in the vehicle as they may distract the driver (file image)
Estimated fine: £5,000
Another area that many motorists may not be aware of and which can be subject to a fine is that of pets in the car.
Ms Rennox says the rules of the road state that animals must be restrained in the car to avoid distractions.
She said, “Watch out for your furry friends!” They may seem like the perfect travel companion, but they can cause a lot of distractions for the driver. Traffic laws state that animals must be properly restrained so that they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure or injure you if you stop quickly.
“Your pets won’t want to cause you any inconvenience, but if they’re not restrained by a seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog crate or dog guard, you could be fined almighty £5,000”
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