A yellow weather warning is in place for Merseyside and beyond

Drivers are being warned they could be fined up to £5,000 for a common action amid a thunderstorm warning that is in place for much of the UK. Met Office experts have put a yellow weather alert for storms in place until 11.59pm tonight (Monday).

While its experts have added that many places will miss the storms, other areas could be hit with knock-on flooding and disruption from heavy downpours. Met Office guidance also states that “spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures”.

With much of the country being battered by rain today, motorists are being warned to avoid speeding through puddles. Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing, told the ECHO: “Roads are almost guaranteed to be full of puddles right now, following the recent and upcoming spate of wet weather. It’s therefore imperative for drivers to know about the penalties for recklessly driving through them.

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“Drivers could be hit with a £5,000 fine for speeding through them and splashing pedestrians in the process. According to Section Three of the Road Traffic Act of 1988, it is illegal to splash pedestrians as it equates to driving ‘without reasonable consideration for other persons’.

“Those considered to be deliberately driving through puddles and splashing pedestrians will likely be hit with a £100 fixed penalty notice, as well as three penalty points if caught by the police. In the worst case scenario, motorists considered to be driving in a manner that ‘amounts to a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience, and aggressive’ will be hit with the maximum penalty of a £5,000 fine.

“What’s more, if for any reason drivers fail to pay the £100 fixed penalty, they are liable to face the maximum £5,000 fine if the case is taken to court.”