Essex white van driver gets criminal conviction for tooting horn at friend

A 52-year-old van driver was prosecuted after sounding his horn outside Braintree train station to get a friend’s attention. An Essex Police officer observed the vehicle and reported the driver for using an unauthorised audible warning instrument. The officer had also been monitoring the van due to suspected speeding on the approach to the station. Court documents state the horn was sounded multiple times for the purpose of calling a friend, not to warn other road users of danger. The driver pleaded guilty. A magistrate imposed a fine and ordered payment of costs. The case was handled under the Single Justice Procedure. The RAC advises that horns should be used only to alert other road users to danger or potentially dangerous situations.

"A 52-year-old van driver was prosecuted after sounding his horn outside Braintree train station to get a friend’s attention. An Essex Police officer observed the vehicle and reported the driver for sounding an unauthorised audible warning instrument on a vehicle. The officer had started watching the Ford Transit van after suspecting the driver was travelling over the 20mph speed limit on his approach to the train station. Outside the station, the driver hooted the horn a number of times to try to get the attention of a friend, not for the purpose of warning other road users."

"Spence pleaded guilty to the charge, and at a hearing last week, magistrate Richard Deacon sentenced him to a 146 fine with an order to also pay 120 in costs. Court documents also show that Spence, from Chelmsford, was offered the chance to settle the case out of court, but did not respond to a police offer to pay a fixed penalty fine. The case was dealt with in the Single Justice Procedure, where low-level crimes are dealt with behind closed doors. Essex Police decided to bring a criminal charge on April 29."

"The RAC advises motorists that the Highway Code says that driver should only use a car horn when they need to alert other road users of danger of a collision or in the event of a potentially dangerous situation. It can also be used to alert drivers when approaching a blind spot or corner. The RAC adds, in its online advice: M"

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