The UK is full of some interesting driving rules, some of which its drivers actually don’t know anything about. The recent August bank holiday in the country exposed another of those rules, as Yorkshire Live highlighted, with a huge number of motorists hitting the road.
Bank holiday weekends in the UK often see a huge number of cars hit British roads. It was estimated that up to 20 million people would be on the British roads, which automatically increased the risk of potential driving errors.
According to Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, there are actually five Highway Code regulations that drivers could breach without realizing over that particular weekend. One of those could result in fines of well over £5,000, or roughly $6,700, if drivers were caught in breach of it. That is a substantial amount of money.
The biggest risk is that of driving fatigue. If drivers are off on holiday, they could well be exhausted after a few hours of driving, and if a collision occurs, a prison sentence is also possible. But that isn’t the driving rule that could result in the $6,700 fine.
What Driving Rules Need To Be Obeyed During a Bank Holiday Weekend?
The main concern is fatigue, which can, of course, also impact drivers in America, as some drives can be well over six hours if going from state to state. Fatigue can result in unlimited fines if a collision is caused, and tiredness is cited as a factor in ten to 20 percent of collisions in the UK. Rule 91 of the Highway Code states that drivers should not begin a journey if they are tired.
Drivers have to ensure they get sufficient sleep the night before they head off on a long journey. If a driver has driven a vehicle while tired and caused a collision, this falls under dangerous driving. Penalties include an unlimited fine, disqualification from driving, and potentially up to 14 years in prison in worst-case scenarios.
There is another rule that could result in the $6,700 fine we have mentioned. This is related to travelling with an unrestrained pet in the vehicle. If your dog is unrestrained, this is when you might incur that massive fine of $6,700. Rule 57 of the Highway Code says that pets must be properly secured so they do not distract the driver or cause an injury to themselves if you have to perform an emergency stop.
Be Careful Not To Overload Your Vehicle
Something else that is as true in the United States as it is in the UK is not overloading your vehicle. You might want to pack nearly everything you can into the back of your car if you are off out for a holiday/vacation. But overloading the car and surpassing the recommended weight limit can cause problems with handling and fuel consumption, and increase the risk of a collision.
If you are caught doing this, penalty points can be applied to your licence, and UK drivers may have to pay a £300 fine, which is around $400. This falls under Rule 98 of the Highway Code. If an accident occurs because you have overloaded your car, you might have your insurance rendered invalid, so you won’t be entitled to any compensation or a payout. So as we can see, UK drivers have a lot to think about before they go on holiday.