As the UK braces for more wet weather, drivers are being told to stay vigilant of one little-known rule that could land them a fine of up to £5,000. After a cold week with snow in some areas, parts of the UK were battered by rain this weekend, which is set to continue into next week.
Brits are no strangers to the rain, and most drivers in the UK will know how to navigate the roads when they're wet. But did you know there is one thing you should never do when it's raining, or you could end up with a £5,000 fine? Many motorists had no idea the rule existed, and it has nothing to do with how you interact with other cars.
In a TikTok video shared by Driving Test Success, an account designed to help new drivers get to grips with the rules of the road and prepare them for their test, it was revealed you must take extra care when driving through puddles.
Not only can puddles be dangerous for your car if they're deep enough, but if you splash a pedestrian walking past your car with water that sprays up as you zoom through the puddle, you could land yourself a hefty fine.
The experts shared a video that showed a car driving alongside a large puddle at the side of the road, as pedestrians walked on the pavement between the car and the water. Instead of driving straight through it, the vehicle slowed down and took as wide a berth as possible to ensure the pedestrians didn't get splashed.
They wrote on their video: "Did you know that if you splash a pedestrian with a puddle, you could get a fine of up to £5,000?!" They then added in the caption: "So many drivers don't know this!"
Commenters on the video were quick to prove the experts' point, as they said they had no idea that they could be fined for splashing pedestrians in their cars. There were also several people who don't drive and have been splashed by cars themselves who didn't know they could have taken legal action.
One person said: "Oh my God, I have so many drivers to report!"
Another added: "I was splashed once and got a video of their license plate and sent it to the police, and they got fined two grand! I didn't think anything would happen."
A third posted: "No way?! The next driver to do this to me is going to have it."
According to the Road Traffic Act 1988, splashing someone amounts to driving "without reasonable consideration for other persons". Those found guilty of deliberately driving through puddles and splashing pedestrians will likely be hit with a £100 fixed penalty notice and be given three points on their licence, according to the RAC.
However, if a motorist is deemed to be driving in a manner that "amounts to a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience, and aggressiveness", then the maximum punishment of a £5,000 fine could be handed down.
Drivers could also be hit with the £5,000 maximum if they refuse to pay the £100 fine and the case is taken to court.
Back in 2018, RAC head of policy, Simon Williams, said on the company's website: "Any driver who deliberately or inadvertently splashes a pedestrian when going through a puddle risks penalty points on their licence and a fine.
"Under section three of the Road Traffic Act 1988, it may be deemed illegal to splash someone, as it could be classed as 'driving without reasonable consideration for other persons'. As of 2013, inconsiderate driving can be dealt with by a fixed penalty notice with a £100 fine and three penalty points.
"If a driver refuses to pay the fixed penalty notice, then they could be taken to court where a magistrate could impose a fine up to £5,000, although the maximum is unlikely."
