Drivers warned that wearing sunglasses in your car can put you at risk of £1k fine
DRIVERS have been warned that wearing sunglasses in their car can put them at risk of a £1,000 fine.
Car experts have said that even though sunglasses are often an essential accessory for any driver, some styles can restrict vision when behind the wheel.
Some lenses might be tinted too darkly and can overly restrict daylight vision when on the road.
Rule 97 of the Highway Code says: “The clothing and footwear you choose to wear whilst you are driving must not prevent you from using the controls in the correct manner.”
This means that if wearing shades prevent motorists from being able to operate their vehicles safely, leading to dangerous driving, they are opening themselves up to a breach of that rule.
And there’s another interesting take on wearing sunnies when driving according to research from the National Library of Medicine.
It says that light is needed to maintain your body’s natural rhythm, and when your eyes don’t have enough light – such as when wearing sunglasses – it can make you more drowsy.
Currently, a driver who is found wearing inappropriate clothing that could restrict manoeuvring can be slapped with an on-the-spot fine of £100 plus three penalty points, The Daily Express reports.
But these fines can increase to £1,000 plus nine penalty points – and even a driving ban if the case is taken to court.
Dan Jones, operations manager at DrivingExperience.com, warned that it was a serious road safety concern.
And it’s estimated that drowsiness accounts for around 20 per cent of all road collisions, with drivers often overlooking the impacts of sunglasses.
He said: “We should stress that we are not saying that people should stop wearing sunglasses; indeed, the intense brightness of the sun on the roads is a potential hazard itself to visibility that drivers need to approach with caution.
“Instead, we are advising British motorists to take extra care and take a moment to pause and think if it is essential before reaching for their shades, so they are not putting themselves, or other road users and pedestrians, at risk.”
This comes after drivers were warned about a little-known Highway Code rule that could cost them a fine of up to £5,000 this summer.
Plus, drivers were also warned about summer clothes that could land them a £5,000 fine.