10 surprising UK driving laws

There’s a lot to learn when you’re driving somewhere new. Even once you’ve got your car insurance, got to grips with the driving etiquette and perhaps even passed your UK driving test, there are a few driving laws that might still surprise you.

We’ve rounded up 10 quirky rules that are pretty much unique to the UK. Here’s what you need to know to avoid fines and points.

1. You have to clean your car

Or at least your number plate. The Vehicle Excise and Registration Act says it’s an offence to have a number plate that’s obscured or unclear.

You can receive a fine of up to £1,000 if you’re pulled over by police, so check your plates and give them a wipe regularly.

In fact, the Highway Code says lights, indicators, reflectors, windscreens and number plates must all be kept clean and clear. So it doesn’t hurt to get a bucket and sponge out every now and then.

2. You need to keep your hands off your phone

The law changed in 2022 to acknowledge that mobile phones aren’t just used for calls.

Previously it was an offence to use your phone for ‘interactive communication’ while driving – so basically calling and messaging. Now you can be pulled over by the police for any mobile use. That means no searching, scrolling, swiping, taking photos or watching videos.

You can get a £200 fine and six penalty points if police see you with your phone in your hand while you’re driving. You could even lose your licence if you passed the UK driving test in the last two years.

The only exception is in emergency situations, like breaking down on the outside lane of a motorway.

There were 15,300 prosecutions in 2023 for using mobile phones while driving. So just put it in your pocket until you park.

3. No mobiles while teaching a learner

The no phone in your hands rule isn’t just for drivers. In the UK it’s illegal to use your phone for anything while you’re supervising a learner driver too.

If the police spot you with your phone in your hand while instructing someone with L plates, you can face the same penalties as if you were the one behind the wheel.

4. You can be fined for splashing a pedestrian

You’re in the UK, so of course there’s a driving rule for rain.

If you spray pedestrians or cyclists with water as you drive through a puddle, you could fall foul of the Road Traffic Act 1998. It says that it’s an offence of careless driving to use your car “without reasonable consideration for other persons”.

Just remember that puddles can be small lakes in the UK. You don’t know how deep it might be, so go slow to be on the safe side.

5. You can’t linger in the middle lane

Or the outside one. In the UK, the outer lanes of the motorway are for overtaking only. We know that’s the same in lots of other countries, but in the UK you can be fined for it.

Middle lane hogging is another careless driving offence that typically comes with a £100 fine and three points on your licence.

And while we’re talking motorways, if someone else is hogging the middle lane, it’s also an offense to undertake and pass then using the inside lane.

6. Pets have to be restrained

We all love seeing a happy hound hanging their head out the car window after a day at the beach, but in the UK seatbelt laws extend to pets.

The Highway Code says that animals in cars must be restrained. It’s so they don’t distract you, or injure themselves, you or your passengers.

For dogs, that means a seatbelt harness, dog cage or dog guard in the boot. Smaller animals should travel in a pet carrier.

7. No honking after hours

The Highway Code says you must not use your horn in built-up areas between 11.30pm and 7am unless it’s to warn of danger.

Drivers in the UK are pretty restrained with the horn in general, so excessive or aggressive honking at any time of day could get you into trouble.

8. ‘National’ speed limit isn’t the same everywhere

The national speed limit applies to all roads with street lights unless there are signs saying otherwise. It’s 30mph in every nation of the UK… except Wales.

Wales’ national speed limit was reduced to 20mph in 2023. More than 85,000 motorists were caught breaking the new limit the following year, so it looks like it takes some getting used to.

9. No meals on wheels

It’s not illegal to eat and drink while driving, as long as you’re not consuming alcohol. You’re unlikely to be penalised for grabbing a coffee and chocolate bar on a long drive.

But if snacking at the steering wheel distracts you, or causes you to lose control of your car, it’s yet another example of careless and inconsiderate driving.

If it needs a knife, fork or chopsticks, park up before you tuck in.

10. You can’t ‘sleep it off’ in your car

We know you wouldn’t ever consider driving after a few drinks. But you can also get into trouble for taking an after-drinks nap in your car.

If the police find you sleeping in your car while over the alcohol limit, you can be prosecuted for the serious offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle while unfit through drink.

Penalties can include a driving ban, up to £2,500 fine and even three months in prison. Take a taxi home to sleep – it’s just not worth the risk.