Copyright birminghammail
October driving mistakes could cost UK motorists thousands of pounds in fines and penalty points. European auto parts marketplace Ovoko warns that shorter daylight hours and colder mornings are catching drivers off guard with costly penalties. Kazimieras Urbonas, motoring expert and Supplier Excellence Manager at European auto parts marketplace, explains: "October is when drivers get caught out by expensive mistakes. "Shorter days, changing weather and the clocks going back create situations that result in fines drivers never saw coming. What many don't realize is that two-thirds of UK drivers have never changed a headlight bulb themselves, with many motorists waiting between one and two weeks before replacing blown bulbs." READ MORE State pensioners getting second £200 payment on top of Winter Fuel Allowance The costliest mistakes drivers make in October include driving with faulty headlights. Expect a £60 fixed penalty notice with three penalty points, rising to £1,000 if challenged in court. Other mistakes could be not using the fog light or headlight button correctly. Not using headlights in poor visibility means a £50 fine with no penalty points for basic offences, but up to £5,000 fine and nine points for serious cases of careless driving Not using fog lights correctly in autumn mist means a £50 fine with no penalty points for basic offences, but up to £5,000 fine and nine points for serious cases of careless driving Hanging air fresheners that obstruct vision could come with a £100 on-the-spot fine and 3 penalty points, rising to £1,000 if challenged in court. Continuing to drive with compromised vision from headlight glare could see you slapped with a £100 minimum fine and three penalty points for careless driving, rising to £5,000 in serious cases with up to nine penalty points When the clocks go back at the end of October, past data shows collision rates increase by 19% during the fortnight, especially during the evening rush hour when visibility drops suddenly. Over 12,000 drivers are convicted annually for vehicle defects, while nearly 2 million vehicles fail MOT tests due to headlight issues, indicating the scale of problems that can result in roadside fines. Urbonas says drivers can avoid these fines by using headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you can't see for more than 100 metres and checking all lights are working before the clocks change and carrying spare bulbs Apply fog lights as soon as you hit a patch of fog or heavy mist to alert other drivers and remove anything that is blocking the windshield before driving, motorists are told. Ensure your car's battery health is good as wipers, headlights and demisters put extra strain on the system.
