More than 70% of British drivers breaking unusual road rules they probably don't know about!

NEW research has shown that more than 70% of British drivers are breaking a little known law, which could see them facing fines of up to £1,000 or points on their licence. Leading used car buying service, ChooseMyCar.com, found that nearly ¾ of UK drivers admit to honking their horns or swearing at other road users; even though it could land them in trouble. It's just 1 of several strange road laws that most British drivers probably don't have a clue about. ChooseMyCar.com has compiled a list of the top 10 strange rules, to make sure that drivers stay safe, fine free, and within the law this summer. These include not swearing at other drivers, using your aircon correctly, and wearing the correct sunglasses that don't cause any blindspots. Many of these rules are particularly important over summer, and in this current heatwave.

► Founder of ChooseMyCar.com, Nick Zapolski, explined that many drivers will have broken some; if not all; of these little known rules. Nick Zapolski, said:- "Our research has already shown that nearly ¾ of British drivers have honked their horn or sworn at other drivers in frustration. But even the most angelic drivers are at risk with some of these obscure facts, like correct sunglass use. I'd urge all drivers to check out our list to make sure they don't end up £5,000 poorer this summer."

► Honking your horn in aggression, swearing, or using rude gestures towards other road users... Many of us have been guilty of this 1, but actually, behaving like this could see you with a fine of £1,000. This is due to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which prohibits aggression at the wheel. You could also be stopped for driving without full control of the vehicle, which could get you points on your licence, as well as a fine.

► Using your Aircon "incorrectly" - The recent heatwave probably means most of us won't fall foul of this rule, but Highway Code 237 insists that drivers keep their cars:- "well ventilated" at all times. Apparently, this is more to do with drowsiness than overheating, and if you're deemed to be incorrectly ventilating your car, you could face a fine of up to £5,000!

► The wrong sunglasses... This seems like lunacy, but according to a combination of rules, wearing the wrong glasses might cost you up to £5,000 or 9 points on your licence. While code 237 states that drivers should slow down - or even stop - if their vision is affected by sunlight, Rule 97 says the clothing you wear shouldn't affect your ability to control the vehicle. Technically, this means that wearing fitted sunglasses that cause a blind spot, or too darkly tinted, could see you pulled over and fined.

► Leaving animals in cars on hard shoulder... Most motorists are aware that if they break down on the motorway, they and their passengers should vacate the vehicle immediately and find a safe place to await help. But what many don't know is that they can't take any pets with them! Rule 56 of the Highway Code states that pets cannot be on the hard shoulder in any circumstances; failure to comply can result in a fine of up to £2,500.

► Wearing flip flops and hiking boots can see you walking into Court... Some will know that flip flops are not deemed to be suitable footwear for driving, but walking boots and high heels are also not acceptable. Rule 97 of the Highway Code states that drivers must wear shoes and clothes that do not prevent you from using your vehicle controls in the correct manner. But there's an easy fix, there's no fine for driving barefoot!

► Taking some prescription drugs before driving can be illegal... Many commonplace prescription drugs could see you fall foul of the Road Traffic Act 1988, section 4. This makes it an offence to drive or attempt to drive under the influence of certain drugs. Driving while taking drugs such as the commonplace Codeine can see you facing a driving ban. Always check before driving if you are taking any prescription drugs.

► Drinking in a camper van / motorhome... The whole point of a motorhome is to have a home on wheels, so many motorhome or camper van owners will have had a drink while parked up. However, the Road Traffic Act 1988 states that no 1 in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle should be under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Technically, this could mean that drivers can be charged even if they have no intention of driving the vehicle.

► Drenching a pedestrian... Despite being depicted in many a TV or film comedy, it's actually illegal to drench a pedestrian by driving through a puddle. Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act counts this act as:- "driving without reasonable consideration for other people" and can land you a £100 fine.

► Driving too slow... ChooseMyCar.com research showed that more than 90% of UK drivers admitted to speeding, but actually the opposite of this is also illegal. Driving too slow on British roads can see you fined £100 on the spot, and even give you 3 points on your licence. If it goes to Court, you could end up with an impressive £5,000 fine and 9 points on your licence.

Parking your car after dark... 1 little known rule means that it's illegal to park our car at the side of the road facing against the direction of traffic after dark. This is due to HIghway Code 248, and going against this guidance can land you a fine of up to £2,500.

NHS checks for bowel cancer hit record high thanks to Dame Deborah

RECORD numbers of people have come forward for bowel cancer checks thanks to lifesaving awareness raising by Dame Deborah James, the NHS said. Between the months of May and July, referrals for suspected lower gastro intestinal cancers reached record levels, with over 170,500 people referred for checks during that period; up over 30,000 compared to the same period last year, and nearly 80,000 higher than the same period 2 years ago.

The latest referral figures published by NHS Digital this week show Deborah's campaigning, along with the latest NHS Help Us, Help You campaign, had an immediate impact, as referrals for bowel cancer hit an all time high in the second week of July, up 60% on pre-Pandemic levels.

Dame Deborah James campaigned tirelessly for more public awareness of bowel cancer, and the need to be vigilant about symptoms like blood in your poo, before she sadly passed away from the disease in June.

NHS cancer leaders once again pay tribute to her and her incredible work, after she captured the hearts of the nation with her story and got more people talking about the disease.

The last 3 months also saw tens of thousands more people check the NHS website for the symptoms of bowel cancer; England's 4th most common cancer, with around 37,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

The NHS Long Term Plan sets out an ambition that ¾ of cancers will be diagnosed at stages 1 or 2 by 2028; boosting the number of people who survive for 5 years or more by 55,000 people.

Symptoms of bowel cancer can include:- blood in your poo, a change in bowel habits or tummy pain, and unexpected weight loss or fatigue; with statistics showing around 9 in 10 people with bowel cancer are aged 60 or over.

National Cancer Director, Dame Cally Palmer said:- "Thanks to the brave and relentless campaigning of Dame Deborah James, bowel cancer has come to the forefront of a national conversation on catching cancer as early as possible, and the fact that we have seen record numbers of people coming forward for bowel cancer checks shows people are taking the illness seriously and speaking to their GPs about it. It is so important that we continue the work of Dame Deborah to raise awareness of bowel cancer and save more lives, so to anyone who has noticed symptoms, please do come forward."

National Clinical Director for Cancer; Professor Peter Johnson said:- "The risk factors of bowel cancer are well researched with age, diet, family history, as well as smoking and drinking habits all found to influence the likelihood of developing the illness, but we also know that it can also occur outside of these risks and I continue to urge anyone worried about symptoms to come forward and speak to their GP. Early diagnosis dramatically improves patient outcomes so help us, help you and seek advice if you are concerned."

Erica Squire, 59, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2017 following pain in her abdomen. She was referred for a colonoscopy where clinicians discovered bowel cancer, which had spread to her liver.

Following a successful chemotherapy treatment, her tumours shrunk enough to be operated on and in January 2018, she had part of her bowel removed with tumours also removed from her liver. Since then, she has been given the all clear.

Erica commented:- "There are definitely misconceptions about the disease, and I was so proud to see the hard campaigning of Dame Deborah James and the work she has done to dispel myths surrounding it. She was very keen to reduce the stigma surrounding bowel cancer, in my experience, people simply feel too embarrassed to talk about their symptoms and they shouldn't."

Erica thanked the NHS staff and surgeons who helped her; adding she was 1 of the:- "lucky ones" to get the all clear and to:- "tell the tale" today.

Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive at Bowel Cancer UK, says:- "People visiting:- BowelCancerUK.Org.UK has never been higher, with tens of thousands more people seeking information about the symptoms of the disease since Dame Deborah James' tragic death. There was also a spike in people affected by bowel cancer posting on our forum, contacting our Ask the Nurse service and we know that people have visited their GP as a result of hearing her story. Almost 43,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year in the UK and, since her own diagnosis with the disease and right up until her death, Dame Deborah campaigned tirelessly to raise vital awareness of bowel cancer. Being aware of the symptoms and visiting your GP if you are concerned can help increase chances of an early diagnosis when the disease is easier to treat."

Thanks to NHS campaigns and early diagnosis initiatives, suspected cancer referrals have remained at record levels over the last 16 months, reaching 121% of pre-Pandemic levels in the month of May 2022.

To meet increasing demand for cancer checks, NHS services across the country are expanding their diagnostic capabilities through 1 stop shops for tests, mobile clinics and cancer symptom hotlines, ensuring people are diagnosed and treated as early as possible to give them a much better chance of beating the disease.

The record referrals also coincide with the launch of a new phase of the NHS's:- 'Help Us Help You' campaign which focused on helping people overcome barriers like fear and anxiety that often delay or prevent them from coming forward; with both running across:- TV, radio, print, social media and out of home advertising.