We all know the importance of indicating on the road, but did you know you could be slapped with a £2,500 fine for failing to signal for pedestrians, too?
That's on top of nine points and a potential disqualification for leaving your fellow road users in harm's way.
According to a new report by Select Car Leasing, many drivers are confused about whether they’re even supposed to signal for people on foot or not.
However, failing to indicate before manoeuvring not just leaves other road users at risk of an accident - but could also cost you your licence.
While there’s no specific motoring offence for failing to signal your intentions to a pedestrian, you could be charged with driving without due care and attention in the event of an incident.
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That's because the Highway Code states that, 'signals warn and inform other road users, including pedestrians'. It also says that 'signalling does not give you priority'.
"If you fail to indicate for a pedestrian, and it ends up with someone being hurt, you can be prosecuted, fined and even have your licence taken off you," explained James O'Malley, at Select Car Leasing.
"If a pedestrian is already half way across the road you’re trying to turn in to, they have priority and you need to wait for them to cross."
And refusing to do so could cost you.
"Failing to do so may mean a motorist falls below the threshold of being a careful, competent driver and they could be hit with a 'driving without due care and attention’ charge, or in rarer circumstances even 'dangerous driving'," added motoring lawyer Emma Patterson.
A driving without due care and attention charge could result in a fine of up to £2,500, depending on the nature of the incident.
Simple mistake means you can be fined £2,500 even though your MoT is in date
When letting someone go could be just as dangerous
Emma added that flashing for someone to go could be equally as dangerous.
"In some ways, an over eagerness to signal can be just as bad as failing to signal," she added.
"You’ll typically get a driver flashing their lights or physically indicating that it’s okay for someone to make their manoeuvre.
"But you might then get a motorcyclist, who’s filtering through traffic, oblivious to the signal and who’s then put in harm’s way. It’s a scenario we deal with regularly."
A further report by Select Car Leasing found that many motorists were unaware that swearing at other road users could also land them with a fine.
Under the Crime and Disorder Act, both swearing and performing rude gestures, such as sticking your middle finger up whilst driving are classed as 'disorderly behaviour' .
If you're behind the wheel and get caught flipping someone off you could be slapped with a £1,000 fine, depending on the severity of the road rage.
Giving in to road rage can land drivers with a fine due to 'not being fully in control of a vehicle'.
And if road rage engulfs you whilst you're behind the wheel of vehicle designed to carry eight or more passengers, that fine will be increased to £2,500.
