Drivers have been warned that 'politeness' and friendly gestures on the roads could see them landed with a whopping fine.
A new study from private plate supplier Regtransfers has revealed that a majority of British road users may be unaware of the repercussions. The presented with the scenario in which another driver gives way to them on the road, more than half (58.3%) of Brits said they would express gratitude with a quick wave or thumbs up, while one in ten (13.3%) said they’d flash their hazard lights and one in four (24.8%) said they would do either of these actions.
The data - collected from a bespoke survey of 1,000 British residents who own and operate a car - showed how only 3% of Brits said they would do neither of these actions. The results also show that nearly all of the UK’s road users could find themselves falling foul of the Highway Code and facing hefty fines. Depending on the circumstances, a quick wave or a thumbs up could be seen as temporarily removing your control of the vehicle.
The scenario is something covered by Rule 160 of the Highway Code, which states that road users should “drive or ride with both hands on the wheel or handlebars where possible”. If caught by law enforcement, drivers could find their quick act of kindness landing them with a fine of up to £1,000 and a possible three penalty points being added to their licence.
Elsewhere, flashing your hazard lights to say “thank you” is a breach of Rule 116, which says that you “must not use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead”. Similarly, being caught doing this could result in a fine of up to £1,000.
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Equally, another common gesture - flashing your headlights to give way - is also against the rules of the Highway Code, and specifically rule 110, which states drivers should “only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there”. The rule continues to state that headlights should not be used to convey any other message or intimidate other road users. Once again, breaching this rule could land you a potential fine of up to £1,000.
Of course, the amount you could be fined (as well as other repercussions) depends on the specific circumstances, but Regtransfers CEO Mark Trimbee suggests taking no chances. He said: “It might seem like you’re being friendly, but taking your hand (or hands) off the wheel to say thank you, even for a moment, poses a potential risk to you and other road users, as you won’t be in full control of the vehicle. It still pays to be polite, though, so if you want to express gratitude you can do so with a quick nod of your head - remembering to keep your eyes and attention on the road while doing so.”
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