5 Driving Laws You May Have Broken Without Knowing It – Road Accident Claims

This guide will look at driving laws that if broken resulting in you sustaining harm may qualify you to make a personal injury claim. If the harm you sustained was caused by another road user who breached the duty of care they owed you, you could be eligible for compensation.

Driving laws that were broken

A guide on making a claim after driving laws were broken

All road users owe each other a duty of care to keep others using the road safe from harm.

The Highway Code provides guidance and rules for each road user to follow. The recent Highway Code changes place the most responsibility on those who have the greatest potential to cause harm. For instance, drivers of cars, lorries or trucks.

All drivers are expected to follow the rules set out in the Code as well as the Road Traffic Act 1988. Failure to do so could result in unsafe driving and accidents that cause harm to others.

Breaking driving laws means that you can face a fine or receive penalty points on your licence. Moreover, breaking driving laws can lead to accidents in which you or another road user are injured.

Have you been injured because of a road traffic accident that was caused by a road user’s  negligence? If so, you could be eligible to make a car accident claim and seek compensation.

Our advisors could help you understand the steps you need to take to do so. They could also appoint a solicitor from our panel to represent your case on a No Win No Fee basis. For more information, get in touch by:

  • Calling 0800 408 7825.
  • Filling out the contact form online
  • Speaking to an advisor via live chat below.

Select A Section

Driving Laws You May Have Broken – Illegal Use Of Your Horn

According to Rule 112 of the Highway Code, you can only beep your horn when your vehicle is moving. Moreover, the Highway Code states that beeping your horn is to warn other drivers of your presence.

Additionally, you shouldn’t beep your horn out of aggression or frustration at another road user.

Moreover, drivers must not use their horns in built-up areas between 11.30 pm to 7 am.

Beeping a horn unnecessarily could result in accidents that cause harm to other road users. For instance, a driver may beep their horn while waiting in traffic. This might startle a cyclist causing them to lose their balance and break their wrist after falling from their bike.

If you have experienced harm following driving laws that were broken, please get in touch with our team. They can advise whether you’re eligible to seek compensation.

Sleeping In Your Car When Over The Limit

Technically, sleeping in your car is not illegal. However, under Section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a person may be guilty of an offence if they are unfit to drive because they have been drinking or taking drugs.

If the police find you sleeping in your car whilst you are over the legal alcohol limit, it will be considered whether you had any intention of driving when intoxicated.

Driving while you’re tired increases the risk of causing an accident. Rule 91 of the Highway Code recommends that drivers take a 15-minute break every two hours to avoid fatigue.

Additionally, if you’re too tired to continue driving, it’s recommended that you pull over in a safe place and rest before carrying on.

Hogging The Middle Lane On The Motorway

Rule 264 of the Highway Code provides guidance on the use of the middle lane on the motorway. Most motorways have three lanes and as per this rule in the Code, motorists are supposed to keep left and use the middle lane for overtaking.

If a driver stays in the middle lane on a motorway, other drivers can’t use it for overtaking. Consequently, other drivers may be encouraged to partake in risky behaviours.

An accident could be caused if a driver is incorrectly using lanes on the motorway.

If you have suffered an injury while driving on the motorway because a car or another vehicle was incorrectly overtaking why not call our advisors and have you case assessed. They will do this for free an there is no obligation to go on with your case if you chose not to.

Driving Laws You May Have Broken – Driving Too Slowly

There is much attention given to drivers who speed and cause accidents. However, driving too slowly is another of the driving laws that could be broken.

Slow driving could force drivers to overtake you when it is not safe. Moreover, slow drivers may also cause undertaking. Both of these mishaps could lead to road traffic accidents.

Driving too slowly comes under careless driving if the road user is driving without reasonable consideration for other people on the road.

If you have experienced harm as a result of someone driving too slowly, call our team. They could assess whether you’re eligible to claim.

Profiting From Giving Someone A Lift

According to government guidance, if you’re operating a taxi service, you must have a license and the correct insurance to cover third party injuries. A taxi service involves accepting money for giving someone a lift.

There are circumstances where you might contribute money towards someone’s petrol expenses. However, if you’re regularly providing lifts in exchange for money, you could be considered a taxi driver.

For more information on other driving laws that could be broken, call our team.

What Could You Claim For Being Injured In A Road Accident?

Have you been injured in an accident on the road that was caused by someone else breaching their duty of care? If so, you could make a claim to seek road traffic accident compensation.

The amount of compensation you receive for a road traffic accident may vary, depending on several factors. However, generally, you may be awarded general and special damages.

General damages compensate you for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by your injuries.

Special damages compensate you for any expenses that are associated with your injuries, provided you have evidence to support your claim. These financial losses might include medical expenses, travel expenses or loss of earnings.

When calculating how much you could receive for your injuries, the following factors will be considered:

  • Severity
  • Long-term impact
  • Impact on your quality of life

Medical evidence may be used to determine the full extent of your injuries. In addition, a document called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) may also be used to help value your claim.

The JCG is a publication that provides bracket compensation figures for various injuries at different severities. The figures in the table below are based on those listed in the JCG. Please only use these figures as a guide because your actual settlement will vary.

What Injury Was Suffered?Compensation
(b) Multiple Facial Fractures £13,970 to £22,470
(a) Severe (i) - Neck InjuryIn the region of £139,210
(b) Moderate (i) - Neck Injury£23,460 to £36,120
(a) Severe (i) - Back Injury£85,470 to £151,070
(b) Moderate (i) - Back Injury£26,050 to £36,390
(a) Severe (i) - Hip And Pelvic Injuries£73,580 to £122,860
(b) Moderate (i) - Hip And Pelvic Injury£24,950 to £36,770
(a) Severe - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder£56,180 to £94,470
(c) Moderate - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder£7,680 to £21,730
Mental Anguish£4,380

For more information on how compensation is calculated, call our team on the number above.

Whiplash Reform Programme 2021

The Whiplash Reforms Programme may affect your compensation claim in certain circumstances. In 2021, it introduced changes to the way claims are made for low value injuries. For instance, the changes may apply if you’ve been injured as a passenger or driver over the age of 18 in a vehicle accident.

If your injuries are valued at £5,000 or less you will need to make your claim through the government’s official injury claims portal. Whereas, if your injury is valued at more than £5,000, you could claim using the normal channels.

We recommend calling our team as they can offer a free valuation of your injuries. This will allow you to understand the process you need to follow to seek compensation.

They can also advise on if driving laws were broken to help you understand if you’re eligible to claim.

Talk To An Expert

We appreciate you taking the time to read our guide to claiming after driving laws were broken and you sustained harm as a result.

If you wish to claim compensation for car accident injuries, please get in touch with our team. Our advisors can provide further guidance on road traffic accident claims.

Furthermore, an advisor could appoint one of the solicitors from our panel to handle your claim on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that there is no upfront solicitors fee to pay. There are also no ongoing costs to pay while your claim proceeds.

You will be charged a success fee if your claim has a successful outcome. The fee is subject to a legal cap and will be deducted from your settlement as a percentage. However, if your claim fails, there is no success fee to pay.

To begin your claim for a road traffic accident, please contact us right away using the details below:

  • Calling 0800 408 7825.
  • Filling out the contact form online
  • Speaking to an advisor via live chat below.

References

You may find the following guides and external resources exploring road traffic accident claims helpful.

We hope you have found our guide on driving laws you may have broken beneficial. For more information, call our team on the number above.

Writer AH

Editor EI