Drivers could face massive fines for misunderstanding road rules

Drivers could face massive fines for misunderstanding road rules

Motorists have been urged to understand five common car-based misconceptions to avoid facing penalties.

Although technically legal, there are many everyday driving habits which could land unaware drivers in trouble with the law.

This is why motoring experts from Quotezone.co.uk are sharing their insights on controversial car myths to help drivers avoid trouble on the road.

There are many misconceptions when it comes to driving. Just because something is legal doesn’t mean motorists cannot be prosecuted if their behaviour impacts their ability to control the vehicle.

While on the road, drivers must obey the Highway Code and have complete control of their vehicles.

Rule 148 of the code states safe driving and riding need concentration without distraction to avoid potentially endangering anyone.

It is strongly recommended drivers avoid anything which could slow reaction times and cause avoidable accidents.

Motorists could be fined for careless driving if not in full control of their vehicle, carrying an unlimited fine, up to 9 points and a driving disqualification. *

The government is also looking to change driving penalties, including introducing a new offence for careless driving.**

This will see the increased maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous and careless driving from up to 14 years imprisonment to life imprisonment.

Greg Wilson, the founder at Quotezone.co.uk, said: “Many motorists believe because there is no specific law about doing certain things while driving, it is ok and safe.

“This is dangerous because anything which impedes control could have serious consequences.

“When it comes to cars and driving, there are so many myths about what is and isn’t legal, but it all comes down to not being careless or endangering yourself or anyone else.
“Cars are very dangerous, and driving remains the single most dangerous activity we perform during the day, so it is essential to always be on the ball.

“No one wants to be caught on the wrong side of the law, so it is vital to understand the rules of the road thoroughly.”

Here is Quotezone.co.uk’s list of controversial driving habits which are legal but could cost drivers:

Driving without shoes:

There is a lot of debate and uncertainty around whether driving barefoot is illegal, but there is no law against it, nor is there for wearing flip-flops. However, there is a catch. If a driver’s choice of footwear, or lack thereof, results in dodgy or erratic driving, they could be pulled over and charged for driving without due care and attention, facing a fine of up to £5,000 and up to 9 points on their licence.

Motorists must be able to operate the pedals safely, with rule 97 of the highway code stating drivers must have footwear which does not prevent them from correctly using controls. Using brakes properly could be the difference between having a severe collision and causing a fatality.

Driving with an interior light on:

There is no law against driving with an interior light on, but it is dangerous at night because it can distract and interfere with vision by reflecting on the car windscreen. For this reason, if a driver is pulled over after driving badly, they could expect a careless driving charge.

Driving with headphones in:

To drive safely, motorists should use all their senses to anticipate a problem, and cutting out hearing means you can miss huge clues that something is wrong. While no specific law prevents a driver from using headphones while driving, if caught using them behind the wheel and driving dangerously, police officers can charge them with driving without due care and attention or careless driving. Careless driving can land drivers with an on-the-spot fine of £100 and three penalty points, but if taken to court, the consequences can be much worse, increasing to fines of £5000 and a driving ban.

Smoking and driving:

Smoking at the wheel isn’t an illegal offence, but it distracts from the road and can be used to show careless or dangerous driving. Taking eyes off the road to light a cigarette could put road users at risk, as the highway code specifically lists smoking as a distraction. Coupled with bad driving, the habit could lead to a case in court, a fine of up to £2,500, nine penalty points and even a temporary ban. It can cause an accident and severe consequences like imprisonment in extreme circumstances.

It is worth knowing it is against the law to smoke in a vehicle with someone under eighteen present under the Children and Families Act 2015, and if caught, it could result in a fine.

Eating and driving:

No specific law prohibits eating food while driving unless it impacts attention to the road. Although eating while driving is technically legal it could impede on control of a vehicle. If the police believe a driver eating or drinking behind the wheel caused a distraction and loss of control, they can be fined for careless driving.

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Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

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