Even people who have been driving for decades still seem to get confused about driving laws. To be fair, they’re not always the easiest things to wrap your head around. This article compiles the three most common areas of legal confusion for drivers. Don’t put your foot on the pedal again until you’ve read these knowledge bombs!
Mobile phones and driving
Okay, so you probably already know that talking on your mobile phone while you’re driving is a big no-no. But the law actually covers a lot of phone-related activity. It’s not just flagrant phone-to-ear-while-driving that can see you fined or arrested.
Let’s say you’re stuck in traffic. It doesn’t look like anyone is going anywhere any time soon. You’ve got a call to make. Maybe you need to talk to your boss to tell them you’ll be late. Maybe you even want to pass the time by calling a friend. But just because you’re stationary, it doesn’t mean that making a call is legal! If your engine is running, then you’re still breaking the law by using your phone. Texting or browsing the Internet will also be taken as an offense. If you’re in the driver’s seat and need to use your phone, switch off your engine.
Car accidents
The legal side of car accidents is often wildly misunderstood. Many people who find themselves in an accident completely forget about the legal side of things. It’s there that they may start to make some damning legal mistakes.
Did you know that if you say “Sorry” to the other driver, even as a courtesy, that you could be legally claiming fault? There’s also the issue of a driver hitting the rear of another car. Many people think that automatically means the driver at the back is at fault. This isn’t always so! If you’ve been in a car accident, it’s best not to leave things to chance. Speak to a lawyer for the most accurate legal advice.
The wing mirrors
People don’t seem to understand wing mirrors at all! To be fair, people don’t usually have to spend a lot of time thinking about them from a legal perspective. After all, people usually have at least two wing mirrors ready to go. But if you ever find yourself with just the one, then you need to fix it. It’s illegal to drive with either no wing mirrors or with only one. And that’s even if that one mirror is the driver’s side mirror!
Another thing people get confused about is visibility. Let’s say you’ve made a move that seems to have resulted in someone bumping into you. But you checked your wing mirrors and couldn’t see them! That means they must have been in your “blind spot”, right? Well, I have some bad news for you. The “blind spot” defense won’t work in court. If you had a blind spot in your mirrors, it means you didn’t have them positioned correctly. In such a case, it’s you who could be on the wrong side of the law!
