Little-known parking blunder could cost you a whopping £1,000 fine

UK motorists are being urged to pay closer attention to a somewhat obscure Highway Code rule that could end up costing them a small fortune when parking.

A simple mistake when leaving your car parked at night has the potential to result in a fine upwards of £1,000 — this severe sanction can more than double for larger vehicles. The mistake in question may not only lead to hefty financial penalties, but can even put lives at risk. And it’s an error some drivers make on a daily basis without thinking: parking facing the flow of traffic.

Pulling up at the roadside at the end of a day, most people assume that if their car is safely off the road and any required parking fees have been paid, then they have done all that is necessary. Yet tucked away in the Highway Code is a regulation that sets out a specific requirement for how vehicles should be left after dark.

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Graham Conway, managing director of Select Car Leasing, said: "The Highway Code makes it clear you must not park your car facing towards the flow of traffic on a road at night unless you’re in a marked bay. If you break it you’re risking a fine of up to £1,000, while for vans and minibuses it can soar to £2,500."

What might sound initially like a technicality is in fact a safety measure rooted in common sense. Cars parked facing the wrong way at night are not properly visible to other road users.

Graham explained: “Correctly parked cars light up in headlights thanks to rear reflectors. Facing the wrong way, you’re practically invisible.” He added that salvage companies dealing with the aftermath of night-time collisions confirm that they frequently deal with “countless cars” written off because they were hit while parked the wrong way against the flow of traffic after dark.

Despite the potentially serious consequences, the rule is one that many drivers are unaware of. It is more likely to catch people out on smaller roads or in built-up areas where residents often park on whichever side of the street has space available.

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On narrow residential roads it can be very tempting to swing into the nearest space rather than circling round to find a spot on the correct side. During daylight this might appear harmless, but once night falls it can effectively turn the vehicle into an accident waiting to happen.

Graham added: "The Highway Code’s Rule 248 is crystal clear and police are more than willing to enforce it. The best approach to avoid getting into trouble or causing a collision is always park in the same direction as traffic on your side of the road, stick to marked bays where possible, and think about visibility if you are stopping somewhere unlit.

"Ignorance isn’t an excuse — whether you’re in a busy city or a quiet village, this rule applies. Get it wrong and you could face an eye-watering bill before you’ve even put the key in the ignition."

As the warning makes clear, simply paying attention to the direction in which you park you vehicle could save you from heavy penalties — and potentially even save lives.

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