When is it illegal to use your horn?

23/3/2016

A horn should only be used when warning someone of any danger due to another vehicle or any other kind of danger, and not to indicate your annoyance.
It is illegal to use a horn on a moving vehicle on a restricted road, basically a road that has street lights and a 30 mph limit, between the times of 11:30 p.m. and 07:00 a.m.

45 Comments

Johnny McCory

24/3/2016 03:37:11 am

Good to know

precious

7/6/2016 08:00:19 am

Julie link

26/10/2016 10:58:49 am

Could you please clarify if this applies to the reversing horn on buses! We have been bombarded with two services each every 7 minutes so you can imagine the sheer volume of them. Iam awoken by the reversing horn at 4.30am onwards even 12.30am. I have complained Day in day out to NCT but they say they are advised by the police that they are in accordance with the law to do so. I live in a very quiet estate and have so for almost 22yrs and although we had a bus service for all these years one bus every 10-15 mins they suddenly with no warning put huge buses on the service and extended another service to come here also although there is no need! Both myself and other residents are suffering sleep deprivation and depression from all this! When I rang the police they said it's not a police matter. Environmental health said they can't help, councillors get no where and NCT just fob us off. I love my home I'm on a quiet nature reserve estate but running out of options other than to move home! Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Alex Jones

11/11/2017 09:01:33 pm

The bus driver has control of this horn and it can be turned off before putting the bus into reverse gear. The police advise is wrong and you should write to the chief constable with your complaint, PC plod only intends doing as least as is possible..

John

25/9/2018 09:16:59 pm

I have the same issue of busses sounding horns on reversing at the rear of my property 24/7. This is illegal and totally unnecessary as they are stationary and all busses have reversing alarms and reversing lights anyway.

Jeremy Bonington-Jagworth

2/1/2019 01:06:51 pm

As John points out, it's a reversing warning (beeper):

NOT the horn!

Anthony Larlham

30/4/2019 08:44:18 pm

Reversing alarms are exempt under Construction & Use Regs 1986 Sec99, if bus (or truck over 2000kgs) is moving backwards with engine running.

Katie

15/6/2019 04:00:48 am

Eddie Craven

6/2/2018 11:51:15 pm

What is the penalty if you break this law?

CaroleAnne

3/6/2018 05:48:25 pm

£30 -£1,000 for deliberate mis-use. If you don't know what deliberate misuse is, then i suggest you re-take your test.

Jeremy Bonington-Jagworth

2/1/2019 01:10:10 pm

What is the significance of "If you don't know what deliberate misuse is, then i suggest you re-take your test"?

And how is re-taking your test relevant to it?!

Paul Lewin

17/11/2019 12:31:21 pm

Certainly the theory part of your test is relevant to it yes, your overall 'practical' driving skills could (and should) be looked at also. A person who has passed their UK driving test should know what deliberate mis-use of a vehicle's horn is, without it having to be explained to them.

Mr colin murphy

11/5/2018 06:57:56 pm

hat are the rules regarding sounding a horn while stationary or picking up a passenger who is in a property. What is the limit on hours this can be done e.g ot between 22.00 hrs and 08.00 hrs ????

CaroleAnne

3/6/2018 05:53:39 pm

it can't be done at any time, that's deliberate mis-use of your horn.

joyce cattanach

11/6/2018 03:54:50 am

It is illegal to sound your horn from a STATIONARY vehicle , AT ANY TIME !

Duminda

21/7/2018 08:53:58 pm

Rule 112
The horn. Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively. You MUST NOT use your horn

while stationary on the road
when driving in a built-up area between the hours of 11.30 pm and 7.00 am
except when another road user poses a danger.
Law CUR reg 99

E.g. When you are stationary, if someone reversing on to your vehicle then you can sound the horn.

Roger Pullan

6/9/2018 11:53:08 am

Your statement is not quite true. According to Rule 112, of the Highway Code, You MUST NOT use your horn while stationary on a road - "except" when another road user poses a danger.

Mark

23/4/2019 10:08:53 am

"Except when another road user poses a danger" Law Construction and Use Regulation

Michael Maxfield link

30/9/2018 02:46:01 pm

Is it iollegal to drive a car on public roads with a broken car horn?

Yolande

13/11/2018 08:30:58 pm

My neighbour gets picked up at 640 every morning and his friend beeps his horn whilst outside our house. I have called the council who say it is a police matter and called the police who state that there is no offence committed.
Absolutely infuriates me that the highway code clearly states that this an offence when actually no one is willing to deal with, any advice would be welcomed.

Stone

16/11/2018 12:05:48 am

My neighbours daughter drives past there house regularly and every occasion sounds her horn 3 times - advice of action please

anonymous link

13/1/2019 11:19:21 am

my advice is get a life u sad bastard

Rob

17/4/2019 07:54:11 am

You need to tell the nieghbour to tell whoever it is who picks them up. If that doesnt work, you tell the guy pressing the horn to stop it in a firm but polite way. If that doesnt work, tben you and the other nieghbours need to say something

wilf

6/6/2019 07:20:49 am

I have the same horn sounding as they pull off for work 6:45 am
10 feet from my bedroom window
.
council say they don't find it an annoyance or an offence .

they told me its just the way you perceive it ??. it may be that they don't now its affecting your sleep ???.

6:45 am I have mentioned it to council several times so they do .

its alright having laws and rules but it depends on the personal opinion of the people you tell not what's written .

Jonny Kilter

28/9/2019 03:45:53 pm

My advice is set your alarm for 6am, get up and go to work like a adult.

Simon Fielker

3/7/2019 04:53:57 pm

Write to the police. Section 59 of the Road Traffic Act allows the police to give drivers a warning if they are reported to have used their vehicle in a manner which causes "alarm, distress or annoyance". If that vehicle is then used to commit further act/s of "alarm, distress or annoyance" within a year, the police have the right to confiscate the vehicle.

Eboni Thomas

28/7/2019 03:28:29 pm

It baffales me that no one here see's the danger here..... The driver cannot see behind the bus. This helps to ensure that anyone or anything behind the bus knows that the driver is going to move into reverse therefore if unseen you have a chance to move to safety thus the driver cannot see you. However you can see the driver. Anyone who has a complaint on this matter should look at it this way.... If their child was backed over by a bus because there was nothing set in place to signal the driver or the child of the immediate danger how would they opinionate this matter then? Some people are so selfish to see things that can help others until it is them that has to bear the pain of such a selfless rule. Its not always about you! Look at everyone who would be effected by such a disaster and see if you would be okay with replacing yourself in their place.

Crimebodge link

29/9/2019 08:33:07 pm

Report it to your local authority as noise nuisance. If they refuse to investigate threaten to report them to the Local Government Ombudsman. They will soon change their tune.

Buscarello

28/2/2019 10:12:27 pm

My advice to anonymous is "man up and identify yourself". It is an offence to sound your horn except when there is a danger to other road users. Reversing bleepers are audible warning devices and subject to the same rules as a horn, although I have driven vehicles not fitted with a switch. I always defect such vehicles! The 11.30 PM -07.00AM Rule only applies in a built up area ie 30mph zone with street lights.

Sam

21/5/2019 06:01:07 pm

Is it against the law for sounding your horn when picking people up

Robin Latchem

18/6/2019 09:59:37 am

Some cars, notably Mercedes, sound their horn when the car is being locked. Agreed it is hardly a major nuisance but it's another annoying piece of street noise which appears to be an illegal act by the manufacturers.

Andy Moan

15/10/2019 02:38:00 pm

I had a Renault Captur hire car, and it beeped for 15-30 seconds after locking, just out of respect to neighbours I googled how to turn that off and found that owners had the same problem and it was not being fixed by dealers, who had 'fully checked' all systems.

note - an online manual now says it is a feature that your dealer can turn off for you (kerching!)

david allen

21/6/2019 01:25:01 pm

So after the 20th time this month getting cut out by a person in a hurry (90% of the time rolling through a stop sign or making right on red without looking) then proceeding slowly and not using turn signal AT THE VERY NEXT STREET - I CANT WAKE THE DRIVER UP MAYBE MAKING HIM REALIZE HE/SHE FORGOT SOMETHING?

I thought not using turn signal was some form of violation?

Bernard Chirambo link

22/6/2019 09:58:23 pm

Horns can sometimes be very disturbing especially when you are sleeping.

Educating the community on the mater can likely bring positive impact.

Eboni Thomas

28/7/2019 03:37:01 pm

It seems as if everyone wants it in literal terms....... In life or death..... If hearing a horn infuriates you this much look at it this way; that long day where you were tired and slightly dosed off, not completely but you felt yourself slipping and this person on the opposite side of the road blew their horn and you snapped out of it saving your life and theirs. If hearing that horn infuriated you at that moment in your life, then maybe you just don't need to have anything to do with a car period. Its not always about YOU!

twelve

9/8/2019 06:48:30 pm

Simply, anyone who bashes on their car horn unnecessarily is an inconsiderate, moronic idiot. When was the last time that anyone used their horn for danger?

Chris

30/7/2019 03:26:56 pm

Can you tell me if i can make a complaint about neighbors friends sounding their horn to announce their arrival and when leaving.

Andy Moan

15/10/2019 02:39:45 pm

If you capture that on video, you could submit it to The Police, as it is a road traffic violation, especially at night

J M Tracy

16/8/2019 07:33:59 am

Can anyone clarify the precise legal situation here:

You are sitting behind a car at a red light which turns green. The driver in front is engrossed in something else and doesn't notice the green light. Is it legal for me to lightly toot my horn to alert him? This is not a dangerous situation so doesn't appear to be covered by the code. The only other way to alert him would be to leave my car and knock on his window, which is not safe.

John

18/8/2019 05:08:39 pm

Normally it is illegal to sound your horn if stationary, except if there is a danger.
Sitting stationary for long at a green light can be considered dangerous because other road users might not expect traffic to be stopped if the light is green and bump you from behind by accident.
So you could use your horn if they take too long to start.

Andy Moan

15/10/2019 02:41:00 pm

The Highway code says you can sound it to make a driver aware of your presence, so I guess it's making him aware that you are presently waiting.

Fay

2/10/2019 09:14:46 pm

Does nobody get out of their cars and ring on a door bell anymore. Regardless of how illegal it is sounding your horn when picking someone up (which it is),why don't they get off their backsides and knock in the front door? One word... IDLE

Simon Fielker

2/10/2019 11:18:15 pm

Couldn't agree more. People won't walk a car length, when they can pull up outside a house and blow their (multidirectional) horn. These are the same people who spend their life glued to a phone, but couldn't phone someone to come out of their house, either! I believe they're attention seekers with their "Look at me" attitude. Stupid and rude.

Molly

18/10/2019 07:37:52 am

I have an annoying lady coming every day at 7:30 to my neighbours to pick someobe up. It is always same time so they know, she csn use her phone or just go to knock on door. I told her she shouls stop it. I often work at night, my fiance is a driver he is so tired and here she is again. After 2 weeks she did thst again. Sometimes she is pressing horn multiple times in an angry manner. She just woke me up again and im ill feeling bad and now i cant sleep again. Should i just record her because she doesnt understand? She is just between houses on little street using horn to announce that she arrived.

Cat

4/11/2019 03:07:49 pm

Is it legal to test your horn when completing a vehicle check sheet as part of company policy?

When is it illegal to use your horn?

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