Motorists are being warned they could face fines of up to £1,000 for using social media to alert others about police speed checks.
While it might seem like a helpful heads-up, posting about speed traps could actually be breaking the law. Under the Highway Code, flashing headlights is only permitted to signal your presence to other road users — not to pass along warnings or messages.
More seriously, drivers could fall foul of Section 89 of the Police Act 1996, which makes it an offence to willfully obstruct a police officer in the execution of their duty.
This was highlighted in 2019 when a driver trying to warn others about a mobile speed camera on the A30 ended up frantically waving at an unmarked police car — a costly mistake.
And it’s not just physical warnings that could land you in trouble. Sharing the location of police speed checks in Facebook groups or other online forums could also be considered an obstruction, potentially leading to prosecution.
The message is clear: think before you share — it could save you more than just a speeding fine.
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