A simple mistake could land drivers with a £5,000 fine when driving in the dark this winter.
As the clocks go back this weekend drivers are being warned about this rule when driving at night.
With 40% of accidents occurring during the hours of darkness, it’s important to do everything you can to increase your safety when driving in the dark, the Liverpool Echo reports.
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Car leasing specialists, Rivervale Leasing, are urging motorists to remember to switch on their headlights when driving in the dark or risk a £5,000 fine and up to 9 points on their license.
We've all been in a situation where you're driving through a relatively well-lit area and forget to turn on your headlights.
However, Rivervale has found that leaving your driveway without headlights on following the clocks change could land you with a hefty fine.
Motorists who are caught driving without their headlights on in the dark could be charged with driving without due care and attention, which could land you a fixed penalty, or you will be summoned to court if the circumstances of the charge can’t be covered by a fixed penalty.
The legal definition of driving without due care and attention is that you were "allowing your standard of driving to fall below that of a prudent motorist".
The fixed-rate for penalties is three points and a £100 fine.
However, if the police force deems that the offence can't be covered by a fixed penalty, then you can expect to go to court.
Here it will be up to a judge to decide the most appropriate punishment, depending on the nature of the offence.
The biggest fine would be £5,000, while you could also face up to nine points on your licence, community service and even a custodial sentence.
Bud Johnson, Group Marketing Manager at Rivervale Leasing said: “It can be easy to forget to switch your headlights on, especially when you are in a rush!
"Thankfully most modern cars have the auto setting for headlights, so some drivers won’t have to worry about driving unsafely during dark evenings.
"But whenever it is dark outside, you must remember to always check your headlights are switched on and working properly.
"A great way to get in the habit of using your headlights is to switch your lights on half an hour before the sun sets. If you can’t see further than 100 metres or you feel your view is obscured in any way, use dim headlights.”
