It’s easy to avoid the driving offences you know, but there are some which, if you’re not careful, you’ll easily commit and be sanctioned for – something which no PCO car hire driver wants to encounter in their career.
To make your lives easier, pay close attention below – you’ll be surprised not only with how many there. But how many you’ve been performing regularly!
1- Driving on the Pavement
Rule 244 of the Highway Code is also one of the most frequently broken – it states that you cannot park on the pavement, partially or in full, unless there are road signs permitting you to do so. Doing so makes you not only an inconvenience to pedestrians, but means you’re committing a driving offence.
2- Using your Horn between 11.30pm and 7am in Built-Up Areas
It’s common for a PCO car hire driver to beep the horn on the late night work shift – but it’s illegal! It’s not known for police to charge people if they’re caught beeping, but it’s better to know it’s an offence just in case.
3- Flashing Lights to Give Way
Flashing lights to give way is an almost instinctive practice for many – but it’s actually illegal! But why?
If you flashing resulted in an accident, it would be considered an offence – so by law, you should only flash your headlights to warn drivers you’re on the road. Otherwise, it’s a can of worms you might not be able to close.
4- Using your Phone’s Sat Nav in an Unfixed Position
If you use your smartphone as a sat nav, it must be fixed to the dashboard; as a result, it will be in clear sight without having to hold it.
If you’re caught breaching the law, you could be landed with a £200 fine and six points on your license – the last thing you’d want in your PCO car hire career.
5- Overtaking at Pedestrian Crossings
If you come to a pedestrian crossing on a multi-lane road and you find a stationary car – don’t be hasty. Even if the lights go green, the stationary car might be so because of a pedestrian crossing the road, making it dangerous them, yourself and other drivers.
Overtaking a car on a situation such as this is illegal, too!
6- Letting Animals Out on the Hard Shoulder
If you find yourself broken-down on the hard shoulder, and you happen to have some animals in the car, don’t take them out instead in an emergency situation. An animal could cause chaos on a motorway, and if it caused an accident you’d face a driving offence charge.
7- Parking within 10 Metres of a Junction
Parking close to a junction is incredibly inconvenient for other drivers – and dangerous. By forcing motorists to drive around you, the chances of them colliding with an unseen car on the other side of the road increases. This is why it’s considered a driving offence to do so.
8- Night-time Parking on the Wrong Side of the Road
Trying to park on the wrong side of the road at night means you could confuse and stun other drivers with your headlights; and your rear light reflectors won’t be visible once you’ve left your car.
This danger to yourself and others is a driving offence under rule 248 of the Highway Code, and can land you a Penalty Charge Notice.
9- Sleeping whilst Drunk in Your Car
Everybody should know that drink driving is illegal, as well as a genuine threat to human safety; what many of you may not know is that you’re not allowed to sleep in you car whilst drunk as well!
The law states that you shouldn’t be drunk when in charge of a vehicle; so should you be drunk, as long as you’re outside of the vehicle whilst intoxicated, you’re fine.
So there you have it – a selection of everyday habits which may bring you on the wrong side of the law if you’re not careful. Make sure you avoid them going forward, and keep reading Pace Hire for more tips and advice.
