Motoring through puddle in U.K. could result in a fine of $8,500

A motorist in the U.K. who drove through a puddle to splash a mother and her two children could face a fine of up to £5,000 if caught, roughly equal to $8,480.

Cambridgeshire police are searching for witnesses of the January splash-by, which left a mother, who was pushing a stroller and accompanied by another child, “soaked,” reports the country’s Metro News.

Though it was not raining, a drain was backed up, resulting in a six-metre puddle by the curb. The driver apparently deliberately drove straight through the puddle at speed to splash the family.

“The driver could well have waited to drive around the puddle or drive through it very slowly so as to not cause water to splash anyone on the footpath,” Cambridgeshire police were quoted as saying.

They underscored that any such splashing is illegal, and if it’s found to be done deliberately, a driver could be criminally charged with a “public order offence,” or essentially “disturbing the peace.”

Typically, motorists caught driving through puddles in the U.K. face the minimum penalty of £100 (about $170 Canadian) and the equivalent of three demerit points. However, a driver who wants to legally challenge the fine could see the stakes raised, to as high as £5,000 if convicted in court.

Some Canadian cities and provinces also treat the offence as a crime, but the maximum penalty is typically about $175.