Drivers could face a £1000 fine for using car horn incorrectly

When people get behind the wheel, they can really change.

If we're being honest with ourselves, most of us have at one time or another beeped our horn out of frustration at another driver.

You could be tootling along without a care in the world, and then someone comes out of nowhere and cuts you off.

The red mist descends and you find yourself screaming at them and blaring your horn, as if it will actually achieve anything.

If this is a scene you recognise, then you may want to read on as it could see you hit with a massive fine.

That's because there are actually quite a few rules on when and where you can use your car horn.

Simon Kadula/Alamy

And, unsurprisingly, ranting at another driver is not one of them.

According to the law, there are two specific situations where motorists can't use their horn, and could be fined heavily if they do.

The first is when the car is stationary and the second is if you're passing through a built up area late at night or early in the morning.

A built-up area is defined as having a 30mph speed limit in place and streetlights.

The only reason someone would be allowed to use their horn in this situation is to avoid an accident.

The Highway Code states: "A horn should only be used when warning someone of any danger due to another vehicle or any other kind of danger, and not to indicate your annoyance.

David J. Green - lifestyle themes/Alamy

"It is illegal to use a horn on a moving vehicle on a restricted road, basically a road that has street lights and a 30 mph limit, between the times of 11:30 p.m. and 07:00 a.m."

If you're caught using your horn when you're not supposed to, you could find yourself paying a £30 fixed penalty notice.

Now, while that might not sound like a lot, if it's a particularly serious incident or you decide to appeal the decision and lose, it could rise to a hefty £1,000.

This comes after a car expert revealed that a widely unknown parking rule that could also see drivers out of pocket.

For many, parallel parking is an absolute nightmare. I will gladly park miles away from where I'm actually going in order to avoid having to try and awkwardly twist and turn in between two other cars.

Martyn Evans/Alamy

And to further add to the stress, Christian Williams, who is a presenter for car competition company BOTB, says parking in the wrong direction can see you hit with a £1,000 bill.

He told The Sun: "Many of the laws surrounding UK driving are understood by most road users and wouldn't present much of a problem.

"But what catches drivers out are the less common laws - these are the ones that you likely don't think about when behind the wheel."

According to the Highway Code of Conduct, the rule comes in at number 248.

It reads: "You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space."

So you've been warned.

Topics: Cars, UK News, Driving

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers is LADbible's Editorial Lead. After graduating from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History, he went on to write for the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express. So as you can imagine, he’s spent many a night wondering just how useful that second language has been. But c'est la vie.

@SmithersDom