Many drivers enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee on the morning commute, wither from home or stopping at a drive-through coffee shop. But, experts warn that hot drinks can be a hazard in the car, with fines of £200.
Whether it’s speeding or overtaking, driving too slow or being on the phone, Brits are fairly clued up on the dangers of driving. However, there are also plenty of lesser known rules that actually land Brits with fines of up to £5000.
Eating and Drinking
Snacking itself is not completely illegal. However, if you’re found to not be in full control of the vehicle because you were eating or drinking, you could be charged with careless driving.
Drinking hot drinks can be particularly problematic if you drop a scalding cup as you drive.
This careless mistake can lead to up to £200 and 6 points on your licence.
Wearing slippers or unsafe shoes or clothes
Seemingly, people are quite aware that appropriate footwear should be worn whilst driving, quite an obvious one as it is a motion controlled by your feet.
However, your clothing can also be contested. While not illegal to drive in pyjamas, you could still be faced with a hefty penalty fine if your driving is considered unsafe due to what you’re wearing.
📱Mobile phone in one hand.
☕️ Coffee cup in the other hand.😡 All whilst driving a car on the M6 motorway
We genuinely see it all. Driver stopped earlier today & will now receive points & a fine. #seized #OpLightning #fatal4 #Team4RCT pic.twitter.com/t7CQrKm9e5
— StaffsRCT (@StaffsRCT) July 8, 2025
Driving too slowly
We all know speeding can lead to serious consequences. But, so can driving too slowly. The lesser known offence can land a British driver with three points for simply driving too slow. Motorists and drivers face being fined and punished for driving too slow while on UK roads up and down the country. This common mistake also infuriates 25% of UK drivers, as shown in Vape Globe’s recent survey.
Vaping
Contrary to belief, vaping is technically illegal in the car. While the rules don’t explicitly mention vapes, as they are a fairly new product, it does state that drivers can receive a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points if they believe the clouds of smoke impact your ability to drive safely.
The clouds of smoke can of course be related to the same clouds emitted by vapes and in more serious cases fines can be up to £5,000, nine penalty points and even a court-imposed driving ban.
In a recent survey, Vape Globe also found that one in five drivers admitted to being annoyed at seeing other drivers smoking or vaping in the car.
Recommended reading
Loud music
Listening to the radio can actually be dangerous while driving.
Rule 148 of the Highway Code advises against excessive noise which may distract drivers from important sounds like sirens.
So if your music is deemed too loud, drivers face fines of £100.
