New changes to the Highway Code that come into force at midnight tonight (28 January) will mean that drivers have to think about the way they listen to music in the car more carefully.
First off, it goes without saying that you shouldn’t be messing around with your phone in the car – that’s been illegal since 2003 – but you might have been guilty in the past of reaching down to skip a track on your phone.
Now, it could really cost you.
As of 29 January, if you’re caught touching your phone even just to skip a track forward, you could be hit with a £200 fine, the Manchester Evening News reports.
This latest development is part of a raft of changes that are to be brought in to make drivers and other road users safer.
Another change is aimed at changing the hierarchy of the road to offer more protection to cyclists and pedestrians.
Remember, it’s up to you to keep up to date with the changes, and not having known about the rule you’ve broken won’t stop you getting a fine or penalty points on your licence.
Andrew Marshall, from finance company CarMoney, told the Manchester Evening News: “More and more drivers are being caught out on the roads by unexpected fines. The new changes to the Highway Code will place more responsibility on road users and it will be a criminal offence to disobey them.
"More publicised offences, such as making phone calls whilst driving, are already deemed unacceptable in our society but simple things such as throwing a cigarette out of a window are what we see on journeys every day, and often without consequence.
"We are reminding road users to be considerate of other road users and obey driving laws for their own safety and the safety of others whilst travelling.”
In case you haven’t seen the new rules yet – don’t worry – we’ve got you.
Now, stopping beyond the white line at traffic lights could result in a £100 fine or even three penalty points, and chucking your cigarette end out of the window could also see you slapped with a fine of between £50 and £100.
Also, it’s a disgusting habit.
Smoking in the car is still legal as long as everyone in the vehicle is over 18, but chucking it out of the window is the same as just chucking it onto the ground, and you can be done for littering.
Failure to keep your registration plate clean is a big one, as you can be fined up to £1,000 if the number plate of your car is obscured.
Worth remembering to give it a brief wipe before setting out.
Still, if you stick to these rules – and it’s not that hard – you’ll be just fine out there.
You won’t end up out of pocket, but more importantly, everyone will be safe.
Tom Wood