From sounding your horn at wrong times to splashing pedestrians with puddles these are the motoring “bad habits” that could get you penalised.

As a motorist, it can be easy to pick up a few bad habits over the years.

However, there are some driving ‘misdeeds’ that can take an unwitting toll on your wallet. Here are five of them...

1. Eating at the wheel

It’s a situation many will be familiar with. You’re halfway through a long journey and when you stop at the services for some food, you’re asked if you want to eat in or take away. You’re in a hurry, so you take the food with you and start eating it as you pull back onto the motorway.

While this might save you a few minutes, it also means you’re driving without due care and attention - and that can land you with up to nine points as well as severe financial penalties.

2. Splashing pedestrians by driving through a puddle

Section 3 of the 1988 Road Traffic Act states that driving “without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road” is an offence.

The act rightly considers pedestrians to be road users, and driving through a puddle without looking to see if there’s anyone on foot and in the firing line can result in a fixed penalty posted through your door.

3. Driving too slowly

Being a cautious road user is - in most cases - quite a good thing. However, it is also possible to drive too slowly in the eyes of fellow road users and, more importantly, the law.

If you’re driving slowly enough to be a potential hazard to motorists, you can receive an unlimited fine and up to nine points on your licence.

4. Beeping your horn

Road rage is something that should be kept in check for various reasons, and that includes the Highway Code.

In general, you are only supposed to use your horn to make other drivers aware of your vehicle’s presence.

However, regardless of the circumstances, using your horn between 11.30pm and 7am in a built-up area could potentially leave you liable to be fined up to £1,000.

5. Driving with an overly dirty number plate

Keeping a car clean is always a good thing to do, but there are in fact legal ramifications that should convince you to wield a water-filled bucket and some car shampoo.

Your number plate needs to be clean, or at the very least legible.

Even if sections of it are obscured you’ll be liable for a £1,000 fine - and your car could even fail its MOT if it has an illegible number plate.