Keep your hands on the steering wheel and away from your passenger, the lawyer warns

Today is Valentine’s Day, a day for people to express their love for their partners. But a lawyer has warned that more, ahem, physical displays of affection are best kept at home and not in the car.

“Having sex in a parked car can lead to an obscene charge if the sex is visible from a public place,” warns Avinash Singh of Astor Legal.

“This means the offense extends not just to sex in the car, but also to sex in your home if you can be seen through a window or on a balcony.”

Even if you have a secret kiss in the car, be careful not to let it become a dangerous distraction.

With Daily Sparkz you can save thousands on a new car. Click Here to get a great deal.

“PDA-related distractions can contribute to liability in an accident. If a person is distracted by their partner while driving and this contributes to the accident, they can be held responsible for the accident,” Mr Singh said.

While he says minor PDA-related traffic offenses are rarely prosecuted – the police are unlikely to pull you over for giving your partner a kiss on the cheek at a red light – any distraction that results in actual harm could result in serious penalties.

According to Regulation 297 of the Highway Code 2014, failing to maintain proper control of a vehicle at all times is an offense and the maximum penalty for this offense is a fine of $2,200.

If you hit someone with your car while distracted by your partner, Mr Singh warns that you could face a maximum of two years’ imprisonment under the Crimes Act 1900, or up to seven years if it causes grievous bodily harm.