A new, little-known Highway Code rule could land drivers with a £1,000 fine if they park facing the wrong way, it has emerged. The rule was added in January but was only recently discovered by our sister site, Birmingham Live.
The rule, number 248 of the Highway Code, forbids drivers from park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space. The rule's exact wording is as follows: "You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space."
Some of the Highway Code isn't enshrined in law, but this rule is backed up by two laws which means you could face criminal prosecution. The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 and the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 both say drivers must not park on a road at night facing traffic. This means that police could start criminal prosecution if it causes an accident.
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According to Scrapcarcomparison.co.uk, vehicles parked the wrong way at night are totally in darkness to drivers passing by and would struggle to see them properly. A spokesperson said: "Motors parked the correct way would be visible and illuminated by headlights bouncing off the rear reflectors.
"We’ve dealt with cars that have been written-off due to a passing car crashing into them as they have partly stuck out from a parking space."
Drivers do not need to worry about parking the wrong way during the day but as it gets darker, this could become an issue that could lead to a major accident.
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