Along with the fine, you could end up with one month behind bars
Motorists in the UK have been warned that they could face fines of up to £1,000 if they are caught sharing speed camera locations online.
Many will often flash their headlights to let other drivers know of speed cameras up ahead. More recently, many have been taking this one step further by sharing speed camera locations on social media.
Whilst flashing your headlights to convey a message to fellow drivers is in breach of the Highway Code, sharing locations of speed cameras online can also land you in hot water.
By highlighting speed camera locations on social media, motorists are potentially breaching section 89 of the Police Act 1997. This law was designed to penalise a person who “wilfully obstructs” a constable in the execution of his or her duty, the Daily Post reports.
If you’re found to have broken this law, you could receive a one month prison sentence or a fine of up to £1,000.
A spokesperson for the North Wales Police road policing unit said: “Publicising the locations of speed traps hampers the good work that staff and officers do to reduce speeding motorists, which is one of the ‘Fatal Five’ offences.
“Motorists could be prosecuted if they are caught warning other drivers on the road for any speed trap.”
In reality, it is more likely that police will take a considered view of the offence before slapping you with a four-figure fine. This is because the rough locations of cameras are often publicised in advance.
For example, GoSafe, who work across North Wales to keep an eye on roads where there have been issues of speeding before, regularly update their website to let the public know where their speed vans are operating.
A GoSafe spokesperson said: “Community engagement is a core principle of GoSafe and we would encourage any member of the public to engage with us, providing it is safe to do so.
“If you have any concerns about speeding or driving offences in your area, you can speak to one of our operators or submit them online.”
Related links:
- UK drivers shocked over car park that fines people even if they don’t park
- Driver is handed five points and fined over £400 for driving too close to cyclists
- Terminally-ill dad who mooned speed camera honoured with ‘new Banksy’
