As the evenings begin to close in, motorists are being urged to remember a parking regulation that could result in them receiving a fine of up to £1,000. Rule 248 of the Highway Code stipulates that drivers must not park on a road at night facing against the direction of traffic flow, unless they are in a recognised parking space.
Lee Caroline, motoring expert at Surrey car scrap firm, LJC Auto Spares, said it was an easy regulation to miss, particularly on residential roads where drivers may simply pull into the closest available spot.
He said: “It’s not something most people think about when they’re parking. If there’s a space outside your house, you tend to pull into it without considering which direction the car is facing.
“But once it gets dark, that direction matters. If you’re facing the wrong way, the car isn’t being presented to approaching traffic in the way the rules require.”
The regulation isn’t about which direction proves more convenient for departing in the morning. It’s about making parked vehicles easier for other motorists to spot.
Lee said: “Your rear reflectors are there for a reason. When another car approaches, its headlights can pick up those reflectors and make the parked vehicle more obvious.
“If you’ve parked facing the other way, the driver coming towards you isn’t getting that same reflection from the back of your car.
“On a dark or poorly lit road, that’s not something you want to rely on.”
How much could you be fined for parking the wrong way?
Motorists could face a fine of up to £1,000 for breaching the rule. The potential penalty can rise to £2,500 for goods vehicles and passenger vehicles carrying more than eight people.
Lee’s advice is to take a second before walking away from a car parked on the street at night.
He said: “Just look at the direction you’re facing. If you’re parked on the road rather than in a marked parking space, you should be facing the same way as the traffic.
“It takes seconds to check and it’s a much better habit to get into than finding out about the rule because you’ve received a fine.”
