Top 10: Unusual UK Road Laws

4 min readApr 1, 2019

From deliberately splashing pedestrians to having a drunken sleep in your car, here are 10 road laws that quietly fly beneath the radar.

1. Using Your Phone As A Satnav

As smartphone usage has grown exponentially, so have the numbers of accidents caused by them. In an attempt to bring this epidemic under control, the government introduced new mobile phone driving laws. Using Google Maps or any kind of satnav app on an unfixed mobile phone can now land drivers with six penalty points and a £200 fine.

2. Sleeping Drunk In-Car

We’ve long known that drink-driving is not ok. Less widely-known is that its also illegal to take a drunken nap in your car. The offence carries a minimum of 10 penalty points and a serious fine—unless it can be proven that the offender had no intention of driving their car whilst under the influence.

3. Flashing Headlights To Warn Others

Flashing headlights to warn other motorists about an imminent speed trap is a very common sight on the roads, but this act of vigilante charity carries a minimum fine of £30—or £1,000 if the police decide that you’re obstructing an officer.

4. Distracted Driving

For many people, a car is a home away from home. Traditionally innocent domestic activities such as eating, drinking, changing CDs and checking make-up while driving can each incur between three to nine penalty points and a £100 fine. Any act deemed to severely distract a motorist is considered an offence in the eyes of the law.

5. Dirty Plates

Allowing dirt to obscure your number plate results in an on-the-spot fine of £100. The maximum penalty for the offence is a shocking £1,000 and can even see your car fail its MOT. No more excuses to dodge the car wash.

6. Drive Through Payment

Some of the new laws around mobile use seem particularly harsh. With the proliferation of mobile payment options like Apple Pay and Google Pay, police forces are clamping down on their use—including at drive-through restaurants. Failure to comply will result in a £200 fine and six penalty points—though this can be increased to £1000 if the case goes to court. Ouch.

7. Soaking Pedestrians

The favoured activity of the moron, deliberately splashing pedestrians by driving through puddles can result in three well-deserved points on the licence. However, since the act is also classified as driving without due care or attention, the accompanying fine can be as much as £5000.

8. Loud Music

Why is it that people who play aggressively loud music always listen to the absolute worst kind of garbage? Probably because they have something to compensate for. That aside, blasting out awful tunes can now result in a verbal warning, and repeat offenders can, thankfully, have their cars seized.

9. Road Rage

Another one falling squarely into the category of disorderly behaviour, there’s a certain kind of road user who just loves to swear and gesticulate at everybody else on the road. Doing so will land them a fine, but interestingly this fine can amount to 75% of an individual’s weekly income.

10. Bizarre Medical Declarations

Many medical declarations might be seem self-explanatory: cataracts, or a broken arm, for instance, will obviously hamper your ability to control a vehicle. However, the full list is bordering on encyclopaedic and includes ADHD, Caesarean Section and Vertigo. Keeping quiet can cost you up to £1,000 in fines.

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