How Passengers Could Actually Land You A Fine
You could be a model sensible driver and stick to all the rules – but you could still end up with a fine and points. Motorists across the UK are being warned of the risk of being penalised for dangerous driving if their passengers are distracting.
This could be by passengers causing distractions by playing music or talking too loudly. The more passengers there are in the car, the higher the chance of distraction, and research by More Than has found that over a third of younger drivers say that their friends are distracting in the car. So, what can you do to avoid a fine, or even worse, a crash?
As a driver
If you’re the one driving, and you’re feeling distracted, it’s important to just let your passengers know. If people are getting a bit noisy or turning up the music to the point it’s affecting your driving, remind them that you need to concentrate, and they should calm down with the distractions.
Remember, it’s not always solely the passenger’s fault; if you spend too much time looking away form the road to chat with them, you could get hit with a fine and points for being distracted.
As a passenger
Tips for being a good passenger include:
- Offer help with navigation – this can be really useful if you’re driving through an unfamiliar city and helps keep the driver calm
- If there’s a group of you as passengers, keep your conversation calm and music at a reasonable level
- Point out any emerging dangers or changes in traffic behaviour
- Make sure the driver is paying attention and in a good state to drive
- Keep interior lights off and phone screens dim if driving at night
- Don’t be a back-seat driver – criticising the driver can stress them out and distract them from driving safely
Find a safe used car at Alresford Garage
Now that you know the best ways to avoid a distracted driving fine caused by disruptive passengers, it’s time to find yourself the ideal car for reliable, safe driving. At Alresford Garage, we have a great range of second hand cars for sale in Essex, with all the cars we sell being checked to a very high standard before sale. Browse our range of cars here today or get in touch to arrange a test drive or enquire about a vehicle.