British drivers have been warned of common winter driving mistakes which could see them face up to £30,000 in fines.
This comes as much of the country deals with freezing temperaturesice and even snow.
The experts of the car and van rental company, Vanarama urge drivers to take care of their cars this season to avoid hefty penalties.
With that in mind, here are ten driving mistakes that could land thousands of drivers in fines This winter.
Ten winter driving mistakes that could result in up to £30,000 in fines for drivers
The ten driving offenses and the maximum fines for each are as follows:
- Low tread on tires – £10,000
- Reckless Driving – £5,000
- Driving through puddles – £5000
- Driving with improper footwear – £5,000
- Snow on car roof – £2500
- Snow on car lights or number plate – £1000
- Driving in low visibility – £1000
- Faulty exterior lights – £1,000
- Engine on when parked on a public road – £40
- Misuse of fog lights – £30
❄️ Sleet and snow showers will hit eastern Scotland tonight
🌨️ Further winter showers will fringe across western England and Wales bringing icy patches
🌁 Under clearer skies in central and southern England, patches of freezing fog will develop pic.twitter.com/ekkmwPIXjJ
— Met Office (@metoffice) December 10, 2022
READ MORE: Motorists warned against driving rules that could earn them fines
How to avoid driving penalties this winter
Vanarama has made some recommendations on how you can avoid these hefty fines:
1. Perform regular maintenance to avoid up to £11,000 in fines
Maintaining your car so that it is adapted to the winter is a way to avoid large fines.
Vanarama recommends that you keep an eye on your tire depth as this could lead to up to £2,500 in fines for each tyre.
One way to check this is to place a 20 pence coin between the tire grooves. If the edge of the patch is obscured, your tire is probably above the legal tread depth of 1.6mm.
You should also make sure your car’s lights are working, as faulty ones can lead to fines of up to £1,000.
2. Be safe on the road to avoid over £10,000 in fines
Dangerous drivingdriving through puddles, having the engine running when parked and abusing a fog light can land you over £10,000 in fines.
Drivers must be alert to the road by law, with those found guilty of reckless driving facing a fine of up to £5,000.
Although splashing pedestrians with a puddle at the side of the road is considered rude, it is also illegal and the driver could be fined an additional £5,000.
3. Carry out checks before you start your trip to avoid a £9,500 fine
It is essential that drivers check their car before setting out, as snow can impact motorists’ ability to drive safely and see them penalized by law.
Check that there is no snow on the roof of the car and snow not covering the number plate can help drivers avoid a £3,500 fine.
Driving in the wrong footwear is also an offense and can result in fines of up to £5,000, so it’s always worth checking this before setting off.
Having a partially obstructed windscreen is also punishable by a £1000 fine, so make sure there is no snow covering your windscreen.
Safer by Vanarama the search is on Vanarama website.
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