Did you know that if your licence plate is too dirty to be read, you could get a fine of £1,000? A whole grand!
When I had a car, I had a pretty lax attitude to cleaning it. By lax I mean non-existent - that's what the rain was for! But you have to be really careful; if the police and speed cameras can't pick up your licence plate then it looks like you're trying to do something dodgy.
If it's not visible at all times, it's considered a driving offence.
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A DVLA spokesman told The Sun: "There is a specific offence under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 of obscuring or allowing a registration mark to be not easily distinguishable."
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All registration numbers must be displayed clearly and correctly on the number plate - this helps the police, enforcement agencies and members of the public to correctly identify a vehicle to assist road safety and traffic enforcement.
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If a member of the police force spots a car with an obscured licence plate you could be hit with a £50 fine immediately and then taken to court and further fined another £1,000. And if it's simply because you forgot to take it to the autowash you're going to feel pretty foolish as well as out of pocket.
There's quite a few things that are illegal that you may not know about. For example, using an Apple Watch while you're driving is the same as using a mobile phone. It could put you in prison for up to two years! The Apple Watch lets people make calls, check their messages and monitor their health, but if you do it while driving you face the same penalties as for using a hand-held mobile phone.
And everyone knows that if they want to answer a call on their phone and don't have hands-free then they have to pull over. But did you know if you don't turn off the engine while on the phone, you can still get charged!
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And if you're the sort of person who puts on lipstick in the mirror while you're stuck in traffic or tucks into a sandwich you bought at a petrol station... that also carries a fine of £100 and three points!
And if you thought you were being careful by not driving after a night out and driving your car home in the morning, you still have to watch out. If you're hanging and driving you could still be liable for a due care charge if you're knackered and being erratic.
And if you take a hand off the wheel to pet your dog... they can also get you.
So, clean your car. Don't use your Apple Watch. Turn off the engine while making calls. Put lipstick on while you're in the house. Don't eat a sandwich while driving. And don't pet your dog, however cute it is. Right, got it.
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I think I'll just get the bus.
Words: Laura Hamilton
Featured Image Credit: PA