You might want to think again next time you put your foot down in the pouring rain, as it has emerged that splashing through a puddle could land drivers with a hefty fine.
If you are caught driving through a puddle and causing a pedestrian to be splashed, you could be ordered to pay up to £5,000 under section three of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
This legislation states that it is an offence to drive 'without reasonable consideration for other persons', and according to the Crown Prosecution Service this includes driving through puddles and splashing pedestrians.
If your driving 'amounts to a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience or aggressiveness', you could be hauled before the courts and receive a maximum level 5 fine.
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Although the more common sanction for splashing a pedestrian would likely be a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice, if drivers were to challenge the decision the fine could be raised when put before a magistrate.
RAC road safety spokesman Pete Williams told the Sun: "Anyone unfortunate enough to have suffered a drenching by an inconsiderate motorist splashing them when driving through a puddle would probably welcome a sizeable financial penalty for the driver.
"Since 2013 careless driving can be dealt with by a Fixed Penalty Notice with a £100 fine and three penalty points.
"This is a take it or leave it offer for the motorist if they accept that they have committed the offence.
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"If, however, they refuse then they will face a magistrate who could impose a fine up to £5,000, although the maximum is very unlikely.
"In such a case the fine would be appropriate to the level of distress and inconvenience caused and would hopefully send a clear message that inconsiderate and potentially aggressive driving is simply not acceptable.
"Drivers have a duty to show respect and care for their fellow road users and pedestrians."
It comes after it emerged that flashing your headlights in order to warn other drivers of a speed trap on the road ahead could now land you with a £1000 fine.
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Drivers are told that they should to use their headlights 'only to let other road users know that you are there', and not to attempt 'to convey any other message' as part of the highway code.
According to the Department of Transport, this means that flashing your headlights to warn of a speed camera or roadside police speed check is in breach of rules 110 and 111 of the Code.
Such an act would be a breach of section 89 of the Police Act 1997, which dictates that it is an offence to 'wilfully obstruct a constable in the execution of his/her duty'.
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