Drivers face £1,000 fine for ‘helping out’ other motorists

People who are trying to be helpful through a quick signal could in fact be breaking the law, motoring experts say

09:46, 02 Sep 2025

Drivers are being reminded of Highway Code rules(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Drivers are being warned they could face fines of up to GBP1,000 for trying to "help out" other drivers [1]. This relates to a rule involving a common way of signalling on the roads.

Many well-meaning drivers flash their lights to warn others about speed camera vans and police [2] checkpoints. But a spokesperson at One Sure Insurance is warning that even a quick signal to be "helpful" could in fact be breaking the law and lead to fines and/or points for misuse of headlights.

Some police forces [3] around the country have increased the number of speed enforcement camera vans to help make the roads safer.

To combat this, drivers are known to flash headlights as a warning to other drivers to slow down. This comes as motorists were also alerted to new "smart" cameras that can peer inside vehicles, as reported by ChronicleLive [4].

Speaking about the latest warning, a spokesperson for One Sure Insurance [5] explained: "Even though you may think you are helping fellow road users avoid speed tickets, you could in fact confuse or distract drivers on the road. If you are caught flashing to warn other drivers, you could be accused of obstructing the police in their duty.

"This means police can enforce fines under Section 89(2) of the Police Act 1996 & even under the Police Reform Act 2002 - if the operator of the speed camera van is an appointed member of the public." One Sure Insurance is advising all road users to familiarise themselves with Rules 110 and 112 of the Highway Code, which outline how and when it is appropriate to use lights and horns.

Rule 110 of the Highway Code [6] states headlights should only be flashed to let other road users know of your presence -- not for any other reason such as offering someone the right of way, getting drivers to move so you can overtake, or to intimidate drivers.

Similarly, you also cannot use the horn as a warning either under part of Rule 112 of the Highway Code unless warning other vehicles of your presence too, and never when stationary unless a collision is imminent.

"Although drivers may believe they are doing a good deed by warning others with their hazard lights and horn, we would advise drivers to drive safely and prevent fines by sticking to the Highway Code. Use headlights and other vehicle instruments as hazards as they were intended, and leave speed enforcement to the professionals," the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, motorists are being made aware of new "smart" cameras on roads [7] that can see inside vehicles. These cameras, which are beginning to be utilised in parts of the UK, are designed to detect more than just speed.

They can also spot drivers committing other offences such as using mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts, two frequent causes of accidents.

Several police forces have started testing these cameras, and they are expected to become permanent features on motorways and busy roads across the country in the coming years.

Some cameras are also 'bi-directional', meaning they can monitor both directions.

This might surprise some drivers who are not accustomed to more advanced cameras operating in this manner, and everything motorists think they know about speed cameras will no longer hold true.

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Experts at Bumper said: "Unlike traditional cameras that only monitor speed, these smart devices detect drivers using mobile phones or not wearing seatbelts, aiming to crack down on distractions behind the wheel.

The system uses a multi-camera setup to capture different views of the driver and passengers, with artificial intelligence analysing the footage to detect speed-related offences."

References

^ drivers (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
^ police (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
^ police forces (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
^ as reported by ChronicleLive (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
^ One Sure Insurance (www.onesureinsurance.co.uk)
^ Highway Code (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
^ being made aware of new "smart" cameras on roads (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)