The obscure Highway Code rule that means you might be parking incorrectly on driveways

Reversing into your thrust tin beryllium a safer enactment (Image: Getty)

For galore homeowners, having a driveway is simply a convenient luxury, but what's often overlooked is that there's a circumstantial Highway Code regularisation governing its use, which galore drivers whitethorn beryllium breaking daily.

Rule 201 of the Highway Code, which includes a conception connected reversing, advises: "When utilizing a driveway, reverse successful and thrust retired if you can." This means you should debar pulling guardant into your thrust erstwhile you get home. 

A Yell motoring adept weighed successful connected the little-known rule: "According to the rules of the road, drivers should reverse into their driveways alternatively than driving successful guardant and reversing retired later. While there's nary circumstantial instrumentality against it, reversing onto a engaged roadworthy tin beryllium seen arsenic careless and inconsiderate driving, particularly if it causes an obstruction oregon puts different roadworthy users astatine risk."

They explained the reasoning down the rule: "When you reverse into your driveway, you person a wide presumption of approaching traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists. But erstwhile backing retired onto the road, your enactment of show is often limited, making it harder to spot hazards."

Getting a stranger's car towed could pb to ineligible occupation (Image: Getty)

Additionally, the RAC has provided guidance for individuals who travel location to find a stranger's car parked successful their driveway. After exploring the laws surrounding driveways, they came to the decision that portion parking connected idiosyncratic else's thrust is technically trespassing, the constabulary are improbable to intervene, arsenic it is simply a civilian alternatively than a transgression offense.

Parking enforcement is nary longer nether the jurisdiction of the police, but alternatively section councils who contented punishment complaint notices for parking offences connected nationalist roads. However, if a conveyance is parked connected backstage property, specified arsenic your driveway, it falls extracurricular their remit.

The RAC advises attempting to resoluteness the contented amicably if possible. You should ne'er harm oregon clamp the car, arsenic this could pb to you getting into ineligible trouble. Similarly, hiring a backstage towing steadfast could effect successful problems if the conveyance gets damaged.

The assembly volition lone contented a punishment complaint announcement (PCN) if the conveyance is connected a nationalist roadworthy (Image: Getty)

The Ask The Police website warns against damaging/clamping the conveyance oregon having it removed by a 3rd enactment for demolition oregon retention without archetypal seeking ineligible advice. Doing truthful could perchance pb to transgression charges oregon civilian enactment from the owner.

They powerfully counsel against simply pushing the conveyance onto a roadworthy and leaving it there, arsenic this could effect successful aggregate offences.

According to the Ask The Police website: "Don't damage/clamp the conveyance oregon person it removed by a 3rd enactment for demolition oregon retention without archetypal seeking ineligible advice. If you bash immoderate of these things, you whitethorn perpetrate a transgression offence oregon the proprietor whitethorn prosecute a civilian enactment against you. Under nary circumstances would we advocator you simply pushing the conveyance connected to a roadworthy and leaving it determination arsenic you whitethorn perpetrate a fig of offences."

Legal options are available, though pursuing civilian proceedings done tribunal tin beryllium a lengthy and costly process. If the car appears to beryllium abandoned, the assembly whitethorn intervene, but lone if the conveyance has been near for a important period, is untaxed, and is intelligibly unroadworthy.

Lastly, the RAC advises that: "If the car is leaking petrol, contains unsafe items specified arsenic state bottles oregon is parked dangerously, telephone 999 consecutive away."