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The ‘bad habit’ that could land drivers with £1,000 fines this winter

The RAC says this reveals a 'worrying trend' among motorists.

Emily Sergeant - 7th November 2025

Drivers are being warned of a 'bad habit' on the roads that could seem them hit with hefty fines as winter rolls around.

Once the temperatures drop, and the days get shorter and darker, fog tends to become a more common weather occurrence around this time of year - but an eye-opening new survey has found that most drivers don't really how to use their fog lights correctly.

According to guidance from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), fog lights should only be used on British roads when visibility drops below 100 metres, yet the new research by eBay has found that 60% of drivers use their fog lights at the wrong times, and what's more is that one in 10 say they switch on their fog lights when visibility is less than 300 metres.

48% of drivers who took part in the research admitted that they activate full-beam headlights when it's dark, regardless of oncoming traffic and other road users.

The RAC says these stats reveal a 'worrying trend' among motorists, and have warned that these habits could actually means drivers are risking fines of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on their licence.

If the incorrect usage of fog lights wasn't bad enough as it is, the new research also found that many Brits say they do not stay on-top of regular car maintenance when it comes to car fog lights, either - with just 15% saying they check them every month, and shockingly, 24% stating they've never checked them before.

Due to the ongoing issue of headlight glare, in whatever form that may be, The RAC has found that as many as one in four drivers (25%) who find headlights 'too bright' are actually driving less as a result.

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"Unfortunately for a lot of drivers, the annual onset of darker evenings coincides with another unwelcome arrival - that of overly-bright headlights that they believe make driving more difficult due to dazzle and discomfort," explained Rod Dennis, who is the Senior Policy Officer at the RAC.

"While most of us have no choice other than to adapt to driving at night more often as the clocks go back, the fact headlight glare is the leading cause of nervousness underlines it’s a problem that needs tackling.

"At the same time, it’s important to remember that brighter headlights can give drivers a better view of the road ahead, so there’s a balance to be struck."

Featured Image - Robin the Bird (via Unsplash)