Van driver fined £266 for using horn to get friend’s attention
Consumer Editor
A van driver from Chelmsford has received a criminal conviction and a court fine of £266 for using his vehicle’s horn to get a friend’s attention.
Essex Police caught the driver tooting his horn outside of Braintree train station in December 2025.
The Ford Transit was also suspected of traveling at 20mph over the speed limit as he approached the station.
PC Asa Smith told a court: “When outside the station, subject vehicle hooted horn a number of times to try and get the attention of a friend, not for the purpose of warning other road users.”
The driver pleaded guilty to ‘sounding an unauthorised audible warning instrument on a vehicle’.
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When can you honk a car horn?
Drivers should only use the horn to warn others of danger, not to express frustration or get attention.
It is illegal to sound your horn in built-up areas between 11pm and 7am unless there is a genuine risk of danger.
You must not use it when stationary in traffic or to alert someone of your arrival, and repeated or unnecessary use is also prohibited by law.
Also, misusing the horn can lead to fines of up to £1,000, as it is considered a safety device rather than a communication tool.
Read more: When are you allowed to sound your horn?
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