A van driver has been convicted and ordered to pay £266 after using his car horn to get a friend's attention, in a case that highlights the strict rules governing horn usage in the UK.
Jamie Spence, 52, from Chelmsford, was spotted by a police officer on December 4 last year driving a Ford Transit van near Braintree train station in Essex. PC Asa Smith, who had initially been monitoring the van for potentially exceeding the 20mph speed limit, witnessed Spence honking several times.
In a statement to Colchester Magistrates' Court, the officer said the horn was used specifically to flag down a friend, not to warn other drivers of danger. This led to Spence being reported for 'sounding an unauthorised audible warning instrument'.
Spence was initially offered a fixed penalty notice but failed to respond, prompting Essex Police to escalate the matter to a formal criminal charge on April 29. The case was processed through the Single Justice Procedure, where a magistrate decides low-level offences behind closed doors.
Spence pleaded guilty, and Magistrate Richard Deacon fined him £146 and ordered him to pay £120 in prosecution costs. The RAC reminds drivers that car horns should only be used to alert road users of immediate danger, potential collisions, or when navigating blind corners. Misuse is illegal and can result in fines.
