Five warm weather driving mistakes that can get you prison time or a £5,000 fine

The UK will see some of the hottest temperatures of the year this Easter weekend with highs of up to 22C predicted across the country.

But with the mercury rising, drivers are being warned of warmer weather motoring habits that could land them with fines of up to £5,000 – or even prison time.

From wearing flip flops to taking antihistamines for hayfever, here are some of the most common mistakes drivers make as the weather starts to warm up.

Wearing improper footwear

Wearing flip flops may be cooler than shoes in hot weather, but wearing them behind the wheel is risky, the Sun reports.

Rule 97 of The Highway Code says that clothing and footwear should not impede you from using the controls of a vehicle.

If you have an accident as a result of wearing flip flops, or are caught by the police, you could face a charge of 'driving without due care and attention'.

This comes with a £100 fine and three points on your licence.

This can be increased up to a £5,000 fine and nine licence points, or even a full ban from driving.

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Drink driving

This one should go without saying, but being over the limit and getting behind the wheel is illegal for a reason.

But that doesn't stop some drivers, and sadly between 210 and 250 people are killed a year due to drunk driving, while 85,000 people are convicted of drink driving a year in England and Wales.

Hot weather might mean the pub beer garden looks attractive, but make sure anyone driving is under the limit.

Being drunk behind the wheel can lead to three months in prison, a fine of up to £2,500 and even a lifetime driving ban.

Being convicted of drink driving will also hike your car insurance premiums.

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Using your phone to change a song

Driving in warm weather is more pleasant all round, and that can encourage us to play music in the car and generally enjoy the experience more.

Many Brits use their mobiles to play music in their cars rather than use built-in radios or CD/cassette players.

But using your phone while driving is illegal, and this applies even if you are just selecting a song to play.

Mobile phone use behind the wheel can lead to a £200 fine and six points on your licence.

Leaving a dog in a hot car

Astonishingly, leaving a dog locked in a car on a hot day is not a criminal offence by itself, even though doing so can lead to them overheating and dying.

But doing this can lead to motorists being slapped with an animal cruelty charge under the Animal Welfare Act.

Such an offence means an unlimited fine and up to six months in prison.

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Taking hayfever medication

Around one in four people in the UK have hayfever, and many take antihistamine medications to help counter symptoms like watery eyes and sneezing.

But some antihistamines can make you drowsy, which affects driving ability.

Driving while under the influence of a drug, even a legal one, becomes illegal if it harms your ability to drive a car safely.

Doing this could lead to being banned from driving for a year, and even six months in prison.

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