One in six drivers on the road purposefully splash pedestrians when driving in wet conditions, reveals a new report out today.

webuyanycar asked 2000 drivers about how they deal with pedestrians in wet conditions and the legal implications of their actions as part of their campaign to keep people safe on the road.

The study revealed a mischievous side to motorists when it came to wet weather with 39% of people admitting to laughing if they spot a pedestrian being soaked.

16% of drivers have splashed pedestrians on purpose and 26% have splashed people by accident.

A responsible 55% of British drivers will go out of their way to avoid puddles in the road, keeping pedestrians splash free.

Many people were unsure about their legal stand point, 44% of Brits believe that splashing a pedestrian is illegal, 23% believe that it isn’t and 32% simply don’t know.

Of those who did the actual splashing, 17% will stare straight ahead and do nothing, 16% will laugh and 12% will stop to apologise and exchange details.

The British driver is so amused that there is even a Facebook group for these pesky puddle perpetrators; the aptly titled “Drivers who splash pedestrians when there’s puddle on the road” has acquired nearly 932 followers, encouraging people to post photographs of the ‘act’.

While the law does not specifically state that splashing pedestrians is illegal, many vehicles have been prosecuted for such behaviour under the Road Traffic Act 1988, which states it is an offence to perform a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience or aggressiveness which causes inconvenience to other road users.

A spokesperson for webuyanycar.com comments: “There seems to be a clear split on people’s sense of humour and while some people may find this amusing, driving through puddles is not only inconsiderate but can also be dangerous. When conditions are bad, it’s important that we all act safely.”

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