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Drivers warned of £1,000 fines for doing this common friendly gesture on roads
Improper use of hazard lights to warn of speed checks violates the Highway Code and may be punishable under the Police Act 1997 with fines up to £1,000, police said.
- UK motorists are being warned that using hazard warning lights while driving breaches the Highway Code and could lead to fines of up to £1,000.
- Under the Police Act 1997, section 89 explains that warning others about a mobile police speed van by flashing lights can be treated as obstructing police duties.
- Gordon Inglis, driving expert at The Car Buying Group, said flashing headlights to warn of speed cameras might seem harmless but could land drivers in trouble, and experts warn using hazard lights to thank others may be illegal.
- Enforcement practices mean the National Police Chiefs’ Council recommends a “10% plus 2” margin for officer discretion, but RAC guidance stresses liability starts immediately, for example 31 mph in a 30 mph zone.
- An estimated 150,000 drivers are caught each year, and modern speed cameras use digital enforcement systems recording speed, time, location, and images, while critics warn flashing alerts can help evade detection.
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32 Articles
Wiltshire TimesReposted by 
Swindon Advertiser
Swindon AdvertiserWiltshire drivers warned of huge fines for doing this common gesture on roads
This gesture may appear friendly but it actually breaches the Highway Code and could be considered driving without due care and attention.
·Trowbridge, United Kingdom
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Basingstoke Gazette+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Hampshire drivers warned of £1,000 fine for doing this friendly gesture on roads
This gesture may appear friendly but it actually breaches the Highway Code and could be considered driving without due care and attention.
·Basingstoke, United Kingdom
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