This little-known rule can get you fined £2,500 for sleeping in your car

DRIVERS can be fined £2,500 for sleeping in a car under this little-known rule.

And it’s not just a hefty fine — penalties can include license point deductions or imprisonment.

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The Road Traffic Act 1998 states that a motorist found to be under the influence of alcohol can be prosecuted whether the car is being driven or not.

If you want to sleep through a night of drinking in your vehicle, you have to be tired.

Driving under the influence is a serious criminal offense that can have deadly consequences not only for you but also for your passengers, pedestrians and other motorists.

Even if you had no intention of driving and dozed off in your parked car after a few drinks, you can find yourself in hot water with the police.

The No Sleeping Drunk rule states that a motorist may be found guilty if he “operates a motor vehicle on a street or other public place after consuming so much alcohol that the proportion of it is on his breath, blood or urine exceeds the prescribed limit”.

The penalty can be a fine of £2,500, 10 license points or imprisonment.

In the eyes of the law, there is no guarantee that a driver will not attempt to operate the vehicle after waking up intoxicated.

It comes as a set of new ones traffic regulations Rules were rolled out across the UK this year.

Other code states that people should not engage other motorists on the road and that drivers could be fined £100 for doing so.

There are no specific law prohibiting companies – overtaking a car on the left – but if you do it recklessly you can be hit with three penalty points and a hefty fine.

The penalty would be for careless driving or driving without due care and attention.

Drivers can also face up to £2,500 for a parking law they may not know about.

While it’s not illegal to park on the street at night, it all depends on how the car is oriented.

Rule 248 of the Highway Code states: “You may not park on a street at night against the driving direction except in an approved car park.”

The reason for this is that when your car is properly parked, its rear reflectors are illuminated by passing car headlights.

This rule only applies to on-street parking and not where designated parking spaces are posted.

To avoid the risk of a fine, it is best to always park your car in the direction of travel.

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