Overview
- Highway Code Rule 248 prohibits parking against the direction of traffic at night unless the vehicle is in a recognised parking space.
- Police enforce the rule and can issue Fixed Penalty Notices, with fines reported up to £1,000 for cars and up to £2,500 for larger vehicles and, in some cases, penalty points.
- Parking the wrong way at night reduces visibility because only rear reflectors are designed to catch oncoming headlights, creating a hazard on dark or poorly lit roads.
- Experts report many motorists are unaware of the rule and say enforcement has become smarter and more stringent.
- Drivers are advised to park facing the traffic flow, stop close to the kerb, switch off engine and headlights, and use parking lights on roads with limits above 30mph.