With Storm Claudia bringing heavy rain and up to 80mm of precipitation in some areas, motorists are urged to exercise caution when approaching puddles.
Splashing pedestrians as a result of reckless driving could lead to a hefty fine.
Short-term insurance firm GoShorty has cautioned drivers that this act could result in points on their driving licence.
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, this falls under careless and inconsiderate driving.
It states: “If a person drives a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road or place, he is guilty of an offence.”
This means that speeding up through a puddle at the side of the road to splash an unsuspecting pedestrian is actually illegal and can land you a fine of up to £5,000.
The best way to avoid this is to either slow down when going through the puddle (if safe to do so) to minimise the impact or to go around the puddle and avoid it completely (again, only if safe to do so).
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Andy Moody, director at GoShorty, said: “Getting 12 points on your driving licence in less than three years could get you disqualified from driving.
“On top of that, getting points on your licence will also result in the increase of your insurance policy, as your insurance provider will want to be informed about all your motoring convictions in the past three years (five in some cases).”
“It is for these reasons, as well as to ensure that everyone’s being safe on the road, that it is useful to keep in mind which are the offences that would get you the most points on your licence.”
