Drivers warned they could face £5,000 fine for wearing Uggs behind the wheel

Car maintenance experts Fixter say that while Uggs and other loose‑fitting winter shoes are not illegal to wear, they can interfere with pedals and reduce control of a vehicle.

Highway Code warning

The Highway Code states that “footwear and clothing should not prevent you from using the controls in the correct manner.”

Experts warn that Ugg boots, Wellington boots and other wide or loose shoes can slip, jam or press multiple pedals at once, potentially leading to dangerous situations.

Driving without due care and attention can result in an on‑the‑spot £100 fine and three penalty points, or up to a £5,000 fine and nine points in more serious cases, particularly if an accident occurs.

Other autumn clothing risks

Fixter also cautions that other cold‑weather staples can affect driving safety:

• Gloves – reduce grip and steering control
• Scarves – risk obstructing vision or getting caught
• Puffer jackets – can restrict movement behind the wheel

Police may issue fines if clothing or footwear is judged to impair a driver’s ability to control their vehicle safely.

Advice for drivers

Fixter recommends keeping winter boots or bulky clothing in the car and changing into them once you’ve reached your destination, rather than driving in them.

A spokesperson said: “Wearing sufficient clothing and footwear behind the wheel is essential not only to avoid penalties but to maintain safety on the roads. Drivers risk fines, points and even invalidating their insurance if inappropriate clothing or footwear is deemed to have contributed to an incident.”

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Welsh parliament to consider reduced drink-drive limit and introduction of compulsory tests for drivers over 70

MPs are considering new driving measures which would see the UK fall more closely in line with other European countries which already monitor eyesight problems.

The drink-drive limit may be reduced with the new laws and drivers over the age of 70 could face mandatory tests as part of an overhaul of road safety laws.

Under the new plans, first reported in the Times, the drink-drive limit is expected to be tightened from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milliliters of breath to 22 micrograms.

Currently if anyone is convicted of drink driving, you can be handed a minimum driving ban of 12 months, go to prison for six months or be fined up to £5,000.

In addition, ministers are set to consider whether compulsory eye tests should be introduced every three years for drivers over the age of 70 with people to be banned from driving if they fail.

The number of drivers in Britain over the age of 60 involved in collisions where someone is killed or seriously injured has risen by a staggering 47 per cent since 2010.

The UK is one of only three European countries to rely on self-reporting of eyesight problems that affect driving.

Under the reported plans being considered by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, the drink-drive limit in England and Wales will also be reduced to come into line with Scotland.

The drink-drive blood alcohol limit is currently 0.05 per cent in Scotland, compared to 0.08 per cent in England and Wales.

The proposal, which is due to be published and consulted on in Autumn, is also expected to allow police to prosecute for drug-driving based on roadside saliva tests rather than blood tests.

AA president Edmund King feels it is much overdue and said:

“We believe these new measures will not only modernise our approach to saving lives but also provide renewed momentum in making our roads safer for everyone.

“While vision checks for older drivers could a make a real difference, failing to introduce restrictions on newly-licensed drivers transporting young people is a major oversight.

IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards Nicholas Lyes also welcomed an update to the road safety strategy. He said:

“While many drivers over the age of 70 are safe and competent, health issues and confidence can have an impact on driving abilities, so it is sensible to review whether changes need to be made.

“We would also support reducing the drink-drive limit in England and Wales alongside measures to target drug-driving, however these would require significantly more backing for roads policing teams to effectively enforce new laws.”

#drinkDriving #motoringOffences #RoadSaftey

Swansea man jailed for dangerous driving spree

South Wales Police say 25-year-old James Osmond committed a number of offences in the Swansea area from January 13 to 30 this year. Offences included three counts of driving dangerously and one count of using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance.

After initially pleading not guilty to the dangerous driving offences, Osmond changed his plea to guilty in June.

He has been sentenced to three years in prison and has been disqualified for holding or obtaining a driving licence for four years and six months.

Osmond has a history of motoring, drugs and offensive weapons offences. In 2023 he pleaded guilty to affray and to possession of an offensive weapon after his part in a gang attack on a vehicle at a busy Swansea junction that saw the vehicle hit with baseball bats and left two men with stab injuries.

In January 2021 Osmond was jailed for aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving after driving a friend’s car “erratically” through Gendros. That offence happened just weeks after Osmond had been released from a young offenders institution after serving less than a third of a sentence for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine. 

PC Ceriann Howell from South Wales Police said: “James Osmond is unfortunately an individual who believes that the laws of the road do not apply to him.

“His driving was a menace to other road users and could have resulted in him or others being caused a serious injury.

“With his prison term and losing his driving licence, the roads are now a safer place without him.”

#Cwmdu #motoringOffences #SouthWalesPolice #Swansea