When are you allowed to sound your horn?
There are many things you need to know when learning to drive – and one of them is when it is appropriate to use your car horn.
The Highway Code is the official set of road rules in the UK – and its main goal is to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
One of the codes covers the importance of when it is appropriate to use your car horn.
Read on to learn more about horns and when to use them.
Use of car horns
Rule 112 of the Highway Code outlines when you can and cannot use a car horn.
Drivers 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.
This is also true for low visibility situations during fog or heavy rain or snow.
The horn is situated in the middle or the steering wheel and will sound when pushed with enough force.
Misuse of a car horn is illegal and can result in fines for the driver and owner of the vehicle.
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When are you not allowed to sound your horn?
Outside of emergency situations, drivers are not allowed to use car horns in built-up areas between the hours of 11pm and 7am.
Drivers are also not allowed to use them in stationary traffic or to get the attention of other road users - except when another road user poses a danger to you or others.
Repeated use of a car horn is also banned.
A car horn is a safety device – and not something that is used to catch the attention of other drivers or as a sign of aggression.
When your vehicle is stationary, when may you use the horn?
Using a car horn when stationary in traffic jams or at traffic lights is illegal and something that drivers cannot do – outside of emergency situations, where a collision may occur.
If you are caught illegally using a car horn, you could face a fine up to £1,000.
Learning to drive - using the horn
For those people who are learning to drive, knowing how and when to use a horn will likely come up in your test – and definitely during your lessons.
Before taking lessons, make sure to prepare for your practical and theory test.
To prepare for the theory test, an app like Driving Theory Test UK is a great place to start, with all necessary learning materials, hazard perception clips and Highway Code info included. You can download it here:
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