UK smokers face £100 fine as new rules to crack down on cigarette users

The shakeup to the regulations however do not come into force for smoking in a pub, street or café, but somewhere that until now had relatively little legislation governing the act. The new Highway Code will now see smokers face the penalty for throwing a cigarette butt out of the window, in a ruling designed to protect the environment and other road users.

The changes aim to clamp down on drivers disposing of their smoking waste incorrectly.

The act is considered to be a form of littering and could land you with a pretty hefty fine if caught.

Despite smoking in your car being perfectly legal – as long as you and all passengers are over 18 – “incorrect disposal” of cigarette butts could result in a penalty of £50 to £100.

The rule change comes into force as part of a shakeup to the Highway Code road hierarchy.

The aim is to make things safer for more vulnerable road users.

Finance firm CarMoney’s Andrew Marshall says: “More and more drivers are being caught out on the roads by unexpected fines.

“The new changes to the Highway Code will place more responsibility on road users and it will be a criminal offence to disobey them.

“More publicised offences, such as making phone calls whilst driving, are already deemed unacceptable in our society but simple things such as throwing a cigarette out of a window are what we see on journeys every day, and often without consequence.

“We are reminding road users to be considerate of other road users and obey driving laws for their own safety and the safety of others whilst travelling.”

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Motorists who crawl into the box at a traffic light can face serious consequences.

Drivers caught passing over the white line could face not just a £100 fine, but three points on their license also.

Advanced Stop Lines, or ASLs, mark areas reserved for cyclists.

While keeping your number plate spotless can be quite the challenge, especially during these winter months, the new rules provide a harsh fine as an incentive to do just that.

Failure to keep the plate clean and visible could land motorists a more than a substantial fine of £1,000.

After driving along dirt roads or in poor weather conditions, it is advisable to give your license plate a quick clean.

One of the main rules that have come into force is the so-called hierarchy system.

The “hierarchy of road users” is a concept that has been brought in to rank those who are at a higher risk in the event of an accident.

Those who are most vulnerable top the hierarchy and it’s no surprise that it’s pedestrians.

The full hierarchy of road users is:

• Pedestrians
• Cyclists
• Horse riders
• Motorcyclists
• Cars/taxis
• Vans/minibuses
• Larger vehicles such as HGVs and buses