'Polite' gesture seen every day could leave motorists with £1,000 fine

Motorists are being cautioned that a 'courteous' wave or thumbs up whilst driving could actually result in a £1,000 penalty. Research from private number plate provider Regtransfers has disclosed that most British drivers may be oblivious to the fact that acknowledging fellow motorists could land them in trouble, according to rules of the road few will be aware of.

When another driver yields, over half (58.3%) of Britons indicated they would show appreciation with a swift wave or thumbs up, whilst one in ten (13.3%) stated they'd activate their hazard lights and one in four (24.8%) said they would perform either of these gestures, the survey found.

Whilst these may appear to be innocent courteous acts, nearly all UK motorists could face substantial penalties for breaching Highway Code regulations, according to the strict letter of the law.

Depending on the situation, a brief wave or thumbs up might in theory be interpreted as momentarily losing control of the vehicle - something addressed by Rule 160 of the Highway Code, which stipulates that road users should "drive or ride with both hands on the wheel or handlebars where possible."

Motorists who activate their hazard lights as a means of expressing "thank you" could face a substantial fine of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on their driving licence, reports Mirror. In reality, we see these things every day with no action taken, but the rules are spelt out in black and white.

This behaviour is deemed a violation of Rule 116, which specifies that hazard warning lights must not be used whilst driving or being towed unless there's a requirement to alert drivers behind of a hazard or obstruction ahead on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway.

Similarly, another widespread gesture - flashing your headlights to allow others through - also breaches the Highway Code.

Rule 110 specifically states that motorists should "only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there".

Again, we have all seen it and probably done it many times - but the rules suggest we should all think twice.

The regulation goes on to clarify that headlights must not be used to communicate any other message or intimidate fellow road users.

Violating this rule could equally lead to a potential penalty of up to £1,000.

Mark Trimbee, CEO of Regtransfers, has offered guidance for drivers, stressing the significance of safety over polite gestures whilst driving: "It might seem like you're being friendly, but taking your hand (or hands) off the wheel to say thank you, even for a moment, poses a potential risk to you and other road users, as you won't be in full control of the vehicle.

"It still pays to be polite, though, so if you want to express gratitude you can do so with a quick nod of your head - remembering to keep your eyes and attention on the road while doing so."

The results emerge from a survey of 1,000 British car owners.

It comes as drivers have been urged to visit the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) website or risk a fine of up to £1,000. The DVLA has encouraged people to make sure they renew their driving licence online.

Motorists should examine the expiry date of their licence to make sure it doesn’t run out soon. This warning comes as data from the DVLA has shown that 2.3 million photocard licences are set to expire in 2025.

On top of this, around 300,000 drivers did not renew their licences last year meaning they could be driving illegally. If you are caught driving with an expired licence you should be fined up to £1,000.

Not only this, but you could also receive points on your licence and have your car seized. In a post made to X, the DVLA said: “Not sure how to renew your licence online?”

It then detailed the vital steps to take:

“It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3,” it said.