Forgetting to carry an ‘essential’ item in your glovebox can land you with a £5,000 fine, drivers warned

BRITS are being warned they could be slapped with a £5,000 fine for making a simple error behind the wheel. The strict rule can be found in the Highway Code, which regulates driving in the UK. Anyone caught driving without sunglasses in hot weather can face an immediate fine Credit: coldsnowstorm The Highway Code Rule 237 has strict instructions on driving in hot weather and bright sunlight. It requires drivers to keep vehicles well-ventilated to avoid drowsiness, and remain alert to road surfaces becoming soft or slippery. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! It’s important to note, however, that it also requires drivers to slow down or stop if dazzled by bright sunlight. This means drivers must keep a pair of sunglasses in their glovebox at all times. Greg Wilson, founder and chief executive of insure experts Quotezone.co.uk, said: “Carrying a spare pair of legal sunglasses in your glove box is essential during these brighter months – especially in the UK when we don’t know when the sun will appear.” Anyone caught driving without sunglasses in hot weather – or even wearing the wrong type – can face an immediate £100 fine and three points on their licence. Contesting such a fine through the courts could see fines increase to £5,000 and potentially a driving disqualification. As The Sun previously reported, not all sunglasses are the same, with different lenses coming with varying levels of light transmission. Most read in Motors Opticians should be able to advise on the correct percentage of tint for driving. Sunglasses that only transmit between 3% to 8% of light should not be worn on the roads as they are too dark. The AA has also previously issued advice on this subject, with a spokesperson warning: “Sunglasses sold for general use can be too dark for driving in. “Plus, fashion frames could obscure your peripheral vision if they aren’t the right style, so it’s best to choose your shades carefully.” Comment now