With lots of wet weather ahead drivers are being warned not to soak pedestrians with puddles or they could end up with a £5,000 fine.

As the weather gets worse we can expect a lot more rain across the county and motorists are being urged to take extra caution when driving through puddles to avoid pedestrians on the side of the road. 

Whilst it may seem unavoidable, a survey from Uswitch reveals that one in three drivers risk a fine of up to £5,000 after admitting they’ve drenched someone walking on the pavement. 

Young drivers aged between 17-24 are the worst offender, with 32 per-cent guilty of the offence and one in 10 purposefully soaking people, according to the survey. 

What does the law state?

Under section three of the Road Traffic Act 1988, it is illegal to splash someone, as it amounts to driving “without reasonable consideration for other persons.”

Those found guilty of deliberately driving through puddles and splashing pedestrians will likely be hit with a £100 fixed penalty notice and three penalty points if caught by police.

However, if motorists are thought to be driving in a manner that “amounts to a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience, and aggressiveness” then the maximum fine of £5,000 could be issued.

Alongside this, if drivers fail to pay the £100 fixed penalty, they could also face the maximum £5,000 fine if the case is taken to court.

Uswitch car insurance expert, Florence Codjoe, said: “Deliberately splashing a pedestrian with a puddle is a criminal offence and is not acceptable in the eyes of the law. Not only could you face a fine and penalty points, if convicted you’ll likely see your car insurance premiums increase. 

Insurance companies price their car insurance products based on a series of risk calculations, predicting how likely a driver is to make a claim.

If you have a motoring conviction, insurers will see you as a greater risk and your insurance premiums will increase.” 

Convicted drivers could then see a huge increase in their car insurance premiums.