subject: The Uk's Hidden Driving Offences [print this page] Use of hand-held devices Use of hand-held devices
It is a motoring offence to use a hand-held device that sends or receives data electronically, when driving. Devices include:
Mobile phones
Sat-nav devices
Laptops, notepads and netbooks
Mobile phones,
You are legally allowed to use hands-free devices.
Using any such device (whether hand-held or hands-free) makes you four times more likely to crash as they are major distractions that will hinder your concentration.
This traffic offence can result in three penalty points and a fine of up to 1,000.
Seat belts
Seat belts must be worn by everyone in your vehicle if the vehicle has been fitted with them. It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure passengers under the age of 14 are wearing them. A fine of up to 500 may be given.
Bad eyesight
Police may pull you over and test your eyesight at any time if they believe it is affecting your driving.
You should be able to read a car number plate from 20.5 metres or five car lengths in good light. If you cannot, you are committing a driving offence and require some kind of vision correction to drive legally.
You could be facing three penalty points and a potential 1,000 fine if you are driving with bad eyesight.
Defective tyres
It is very dangerous to drive with defective tyres as they will affect your vehicle's grip of the road. This means that the steering, braking and acceleration of your vehicle will be seriously hindered.
It is also a motoring offence and could carry a fixed penalty notice or a maximum three penalty points and a 2,500 fine. If more than one tyre is damaged, each tyre can be penalised separately.
Exceeding the passenger limit
Driving with too many passengers in your car means that you are carrying extra weight that your car was not designed to carry. This means that the braking and acceleration of your car will be affected.
You could be facing three penalty points and a fine for this motoring offence.
If you commit any of these driving offences and are involved in an incident the penalties could be much more severe and you will be dealing with a more complex case.
