Millions of motorists regularly commit driving offences without knowing it – and if you’re caught you could be fined up to £5,000
MILLIONS of British drivers are unknowingly breaking the law and getting away with it.
But if you're caught by the police, you risk getting slapped with fines as much as £5,000.
A new study by financial comparison site Confused.com has revealed six million UK drivers were confused by common driving laws.
A further six million Brits admitted to intentionally driving through a puddle to splash a passing a pedestrian, according to the study.
But more than 20 per cent of drivers didn't know the action was illegal.
The offence - which is considered driving without reasonable consideration - can attract a maximum fine of $5,000.
It might be considered a simple gesture, but flashing your lights to warn other drivers about a speed camera can land you in serious trouble with the police.
If you're caught obstructing a police officer, you can be hit with a maximum fine of £1,000.
Despite this heavy punishment, eight million drivers didn't realise it was an offence.
It's common knowledge that you must buckle up when you're in the car, but six million Brits were unaware you must do the same for your animals.
You can be fined up to £5,000 for careless driving if your pets are not securely restrained while in the car.
Police are also likely to hand you a £1,000 fine if your licence plate is covered with dirt.
Almost two million drivers admitted to breaking the law, with the same number of motorists unaware it was illegal.
Many drivers might consider it as an easy way to make some extra money, but making a profit by taking cash payments from passengers is also against the law.
Drivers who commit the offence can be charged with operating an unlicensed taxi, which could see them fined up to £2,500.
Shockingly, nine million motorists didn't realise the action was considered a driving offence, while more than 760,000 drivers admitted to taking money from their passengers.
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Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, says: "The cost of motoring is already incredibly expensive without the burden of motoring fines. Although, our research suggests that many motorists are in the dark about the many different offences they could fall foul of.
"We have created a calculator to highlight just how much money some offences carry, and these could be thousands. But it is unsurprising so many drivers are confused about what is legal and illegal, and what is an on the spot fine or not.
"So we’ve cleared up any confusion on this in our guide, which helps motorists to understand how and why they could be fined for things such as eating or drinking behind the wheel. We urge motorists to clue up on the law to avoid landing fines of any amount."