Question of the week: Why do people sit on their brakes in traffic?
Fri, 03 Oct 2025
Dear Honest John,
"My pet hate is being stuck behind someone unable to use their handbrake. Brake lights are so bright they can impair vision.
Why not fit a timer on the brake pedal which could cut the power to the brake lights after, say, ten seconds? The driver could then hold their car on the footbrake for as long as they desired!"
- DR
Dear DR,
We - and I'm sure many of our readers - share your frustration. Brighter LED lights are, for the most part, a safety improvement, offering better visibility and making others more visible. But the downside is that some drivers dazzle others by not using the parking brake when they should.
This is even covered in Rule 114 of the Highway Code, which says: "In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again."
A timed deactivation of the brake lights would help but we would think it unlikely that this would be implemented given the safety-critical role brake lights play.
For example, when approaching stationary traffic on the motorway from a distance, brake lights makes it clear of the situation ahead, but the lack of brake lights might fool traffic approaching at speed that the cars ahead are still moving.
As with many of the problems we encounter out on the roads, the solution is driver education and more consideration, both of which seem to unfortunately be in short supply...
