You can be fined £2,500 for sleeping in your car under this little known rule
DRIVERS can be fined £2,500 for sleeping in a car under this little known rule.
And it's not just a hefty fine - punishments can also include license points being docked or imprisonment.
The Road Traffic Act 1998 says that if a motorist is under the influence of alcohol they can be prosecuted - whether the car is being operated or not.
Anyone looking to sleep off a boozy night in their vehicle needs to be weary.
Driving under the influence is a serious offence that can have deadly implications for not only you, but your passengers, pedestrians and other motorists.
Even if you had no intention of driving and dozed off in your parked car after some drinks, you can find yourself in hot water with police.
The no sleeping drunk rule states a motorist can be found guilty if they are "in charge of a motor vehicle on a road or other public place after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it in his breath, blood or urine exceeds the prescribed limit".
The penalty can be a £2,500 fine, 10 license points or imprisonment.
In the eyes of the law there's no guarantee a driver might will not try to operate the vehicle after waking up drunk.
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It comes as a series of new Highway Code rules have been introduced across the UK this year.
Another code states that people shouldn't undertake other motorists on the road and that drivers could be hit with a £100 fine for doing so.
There is no specific law banning undertaking — overtaking a car on its left-hand side — but doing it recklessly could see you slapped with three penalty points and a hefty fine.
The penalty would be for careless driving, or driving without due care and attention.
Drivers can also face up to a £2,500 for a parking law they might not know about.
While it's not illegal to park on the road at night, it does all depend on the way the car are facing.
Rule 248 of The Highway Code states: "You must not park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space."
The reasoning for this is because when your car is parked the correct way, its rear reflectors will light up by passing by cars headlights.
This rule only applies to parking on the road and not if there are designated parking spaces drawn out.
To avoid running the risk of a fine, it's best to make sure you're parking your car in the direction of traffic flow at all times.
