ENJOY the hot weather but make sure you don’t get fined for doing the wrong thing this summer.
As temperatures begin to soar again, Brits should be on the look out for anything that could cost them unnecessary money.
Summer should be full of fun, but be careful it doesn’t land you with a hefty fine
From poor driving practices to where you drop your rubbish, you’ll want to make sure you don’t get charged.
Here’s the full list of summer-related fines that might get you hot under the collar.
Driving in flip flops – £5,000
While driving in flip flops or sliders isn’t illegal in itself, wearing them could lead to a careless driving charge if they impede your ability to drive safely.
If a driver’s choice of footwear, or lack thereof, results in erratic driving, they could be pulled over and charged for driving without due care and attention.
The Driving Standards Agency has also stressed the importance of wearing sturdy footwear behind the wheel.
If you are stopped by police while driving in a potentially dangerous manner or your footwear is a reason for an accident, you could be charged with driving without due care and attention (careless driving).
This offence carries a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points on your licence, and, if it goes to court, the maximum penalty could rise to as high as a £5,000 fine, nine penalty points and potentially a driving ban.
Driving without sunglasses or the wrong shades – up to £5,000
It’s not only what you’ve got on your feet, but Brits getting behind the wheel without appropriate eye wear could also be slapped with a fine up to £5,000.
It’s not a legal requirement to wear sunglasses when driving, but not putting them on could see you slapped with a careless driving charge.
The same goes for prescription glasses wearers – if you need your specs to see the road signs and more you could be caught out if you’re pulled over and found NOT wearing them.
In the same way, if the sun shines in your eyes and causes you to take your eyes off the road, a police officer could claim that you were “driving without due care and attention”.
According to Rule 237 of the Highway Code, drivers need to slow down or pull over if they are “dazzled by bright sunlight”.
Not using the air conditioning – up to £5,000
If you don’t turn the air conditioning on then you could face more fines for your bad driving practices this summer.
Drivers face fines of up to £5,000 if they fail to properly use air conditioning or other ventilation in their car.
That’s because Rule 237 of the Highway Code says vehicles must be kept well ventilated “to avoid drowsiness”.
It means drivers should ensure they have working air conditioning or are able to drive with their windows down to keep cool and not overheat.
The penalty might start at £1,000 but if the mistake causes an accident then it could rise to as much as £5,000.
Barbecues on the beaches or in the park – fines vary
Summer is the perfect time to gather with friends and family, especially when the weather perks up.
But lighting up a barbeque in public places could result in you paying a penalty.
It is allowed in some parks or on parts of some beaches though, so make sure you check before before you start grilling.
You can often find this information on your local council’s website.
If the park isn’t local, then you’ll need to check the council’s website that it is run by.
If a park does allow BBQs then there may be strict rules to follow.
For example, some parks will have a designated BBQ area – just because you can light up there does not mean you can in other parts of the park.
Penalty costs will vary. For example, those who have a barbeque in Bexley Borough Council parks could be fined £100.
Walking your dog on the beach – up to £1,000
Your four legged friend can enjoy a trip to the seaside as much as anyone else, but in the most built-up spots they’re not welcome on the sand.
It’s typically the case in the summer months, as dogs aren’t allowed on crowded beaches.
Make sure you’ve checked the no-dog dates at your local beach before taking him or her out on the sand.
If you don’t and your dog isn’t allowed you could be fined up to £1,000.
In Bournemouth, for example, dogs are allowed on all beaches from October 1 to April 30.
But anytime between then could see owners slapped with a whopping £1,000 fine.
If you want to take your pooch for a dip it’s best to do it off-season as fines are usually relaxed in the autumn and winter time.
For example, those wanting to take their pooch to Breakwater Beach in Torbay won’t be able to between April 30 and October 1.
Having a garden bonfire – up to £5,000
Even though it’s your own private space, having a bonfire in your garden could cost you £5,000.
In just the same way that you could be fined for having a barbecue in a public space, you could get caught out setting an area of your own back garden alight.
If you have a garden bonfire on a nice light summer’s evening, you could be fined if you light a fire and allow the smoke to drift across the road and become a danger to traffic.
You may have to fork out ask much as £5,000 if that’s the case too.
If it’s your neighbour that’s caused smoke to billow across the houses then you can complain to your local council.
Urinating in a public place – from £45
In the summer it’s only natural to drink a lot more – but it’s no good if you get caught short out and about – it could cost you £45.
It’s not worth risking it by going in a bush or on a field – go to your nearest public restroom instead.
Public urination as an offence comes under the by-laws of individual local authorities across the country under Section 235 of the Local Government Act 1972.
So how much you can get fined varies depending on the local council.
In some cases, police officers may also issue a Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 for urinating in public with fines beginning at £60.
Littering in outdoor public spaces – up to £500
Litter bugs who leave rubbish in the outdoor spaces they visit this summer can face big fines.
Councils have the power to issue on-the-spot penalties of up to £500 for littering.
It was previously a maximum of £150 but the government increased it this year.
They can also fine drivers the same amount for throwing rubbish from a vehicle window.
Meanwhile, police officers can issue a £60 Penalty Notice for Disorder if you litter under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
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