As the wintry weather blankets Scotland over this weekend, drivers are facing a weather warning for snow and ice from the Met Office.
Car and van leasing company Vanarama are urging motorists to take care of their car this weekend (and throughout winter), as if not, they could be liable to pay more than £30,000 worth of driving fines and penalties.
To help drivers avoid this, Vanarama has outlined the top ten most common things you could get fined for this winter and how to keep your car safe and legal.
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Low tread on tyres and broken lights - £11,000 fines
As well as helping you stay safe when navigating the treacherous winter roads, regular maintenance will also ensure you stay on the right side of the law. Along with maintenance such as checking your fluids and car battery capacity, there are 2 main areas of your car to focus on to avoid a hefty fine.
Potential fines to avoid:
Low tread on tyres – £10,000 fine
Defective exterior lights – £1000 fine
Every month, make a note in your diary to check your tyre tread and car lights. Low tread on your tyres can result in a fine of up to £2500 per tyre, so it’s worthwhile from a safety and financial point of view. To check your tyre tread, place a 20p coin in between the groove of your tyre. If the border of the coin is obscured, then your tyres will likely be above the legal tread limit of 1.6mm.
When you’re finished with your tyre tread check, make sure to test if your car lights are working as they should be to avoid a £1000 fine. Use a friend, garage door or wall to check your lights against, not forgetting to deploy the brake, indicator and reversing lights.
Careless driving and splashing pedestrians - £10,070 fines
With an ominous mixture of snow, rain, sleet and ice forming on UK roads this week, not only will it be more challenging to drive for you, but also for those around you.
With the car more likely to slide on the road’s surface, carry out manoeuvres gently with controlled, slow movements.
Potential fines to avoid:
Careless driving – £5000
Driving through puddles – £5000
Engine on while parked on a public road – £40
Misuse of foglights – £30
Under the law, drivers must consider the conditions of the road while driving. If ignored and an accident occurs, it could result in a fine of up to £5000 for careless driving. To avoid this, slow down and take every precaution necessary while driving.
It’s also a good idea to try and avoid splashing any unsuspecting pedestrians by driving through puddles on the roadside to avoid a similarly chunky fine.
If you park your car on a public road and like to warm it up before you set off on your journey, you could be breaking the law and liable to pay a £40 fine. The Highway Code states “you must not leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while the vehicle is stationary on a public road”.
Lastly, as the name suggests, only use your fog lights when you see fog. It can be tempting to use them when it’s snowing for example, but you’re not supposed to and could be handed a £30 fine.
Inadequate footwear and snow on vehicle - £9,500 fines
Before every journey you make during winter, it’s vital to carry out a series of checks to ensure that your vehicle is safe enough to drive. There are several potential hazards to check on the exterior of your car that if left unactioned could lead to fines totalling in excess of £9500.
It may be tempting to neglect these checks when the weather is cold outside, so always set five minutes extra aside before your journey in case you need to carry out any quick maintenance. This will ensure that you’re less likely to be a danger to yourself or others around you on the road, as well as not receiving any annoying driving fines.
Potential fines to avoid:
Driving in inadequate footwear – £5000 fine
Snow on car roof – £2500 fine
Snow on car lights or number plate – £1000 fine
Driving with low visibility – £1000 fine
Wellies are a popular choice for some during the winter months to keep their feet warm and dry. The Highway Code states that drivers should ensure “clothing and footwear do not prevent you using the controls in the correct manner”. Make sure your footwear isn’t compromising your driving to avoid a potential £5000 fine.
If there’s snow on your car roof or obstructing your lights or number plates, set an extra five minutes aside to clear the hazard. Failing to do so could land you with a £3500 fine, so it’s best avoided.
Lastly, attempting to drive with a partially obstructed windscreen will hamper your ability to drive safely on the road; this activity is sometimes known as ‘portholing’, where a driver looks through a tiny patch of clear glass in an otherwise frost-covered or snowbound windscreen.
Therefore, remove all snow and ice from your windscreen before setting off to avoid a £1000 fine.
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