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Dave Owen & Sarah McGee & Nicole Goodwin

Drivers warned of facing hefty fine for splashing pedestrians with puddles

Flood warnings remain in place across the UK today following a spell of heavy rain on Sunday.

And with Storm Franklin set to bring more rain and strong gusts of wind throughout the day, drivers should be aware of one mistake which could land them with a hefty fine.

If you soak a pedestrian, either purposefully or accidentally, you could get yourself in trouble with the law and could be fined £5,000.

Here's what the law says about splashing pedestrians when driving on wet roads.

Go here for the very latest breaking news updates from across the North East

What does the law say about splashing pedestrians?

Under section three of the Road Traffic Act 1988, it is an offence to drive "without reasonable consideration for other persons", and this includes any instance of "driving through a puddle causing pedestrians to be splashed".

This means that while it might seem like a harmless prank, soaking pedestrians with your car is illegal, Wales Online reports.

If the act was found to be purposeful, then you could also be slapped with a public order offence, which is intended to penalise the use of violence or intimidation.

How much could you be fined?

According to British law, there's a maximum fine of £5,000 for drivers who drive through a puddle, causing pedestrians to be splashed.

How much you're fined depends on your intentions and how much they display what "amounts to a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience or aggressiveness".

However, it's more likely that you'll be given a £100 fine and three points on your licence.

If you refuse to pay and end up in court, you could be facing the maximum £5,000 fine.

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