Motorists have been warned they could be issued a £70 fine for driving mistakes impacting around two out of five drivers.
Penalties for driving in bus lanes have surged, with roughly 42 per cent of motorists caught and fined for the manoeuvre.
The rise in fines has now caused drivers to call on local authorities to issue warning letters first before issuing a penalty.
According to research, 85 per cent of drivers backed introducing warning measures in a bid to offer drivers a chance to adjust to bus lanes before being penalised.
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Drivers can be fined at least £70 for driving in a bus lane | PALee Caroline, car expert at LJC Autospares, said: "Bus lanes are clearly marked with either solid or dashed white lines, along with 'bus lane' written on the road surface. Solid white lines mark the lane edges and should not be crossed while the lane is in operation.
"Dashed white lines mark the beginning and end of the lanes, as well as points where crossing is allowed, such as to turn left or access a loading bay."
Mr Caroline explained that timings for bus lanes vary, with some signs showing Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 9.30am and again from 3.30pm to 6.30pm.
However, the expert said that if no times are shown, "this means the bus lane is in operation 24 hours a day" and drivers should avoid the lane altogether.
Drivers have been caught travelling through bus lanes due to confusing rules
| PABus lanes are enforced under Traffic Regulation Orders and are monitored by CCTV cameras. Penalties vary by location and may be discounted if paid within a short period, typically 14 or 21 days.
The amount depends on the specific local authority. Transport for London issues fines of £160, while councils like Manchester offer a £70 standard charge, which can be reduced to £35 for early payment.
Mr Caroline added: "While buses are the primary users, certain other vehicles like licensed taxis, motorcycles, bicycles, and mopeds may be allowed, depending on the signage. Outside of operational hours, drivers can also use bus lanes safely to help reduce congestion."
The expert clarified that in some cases, drivers may need to cross a solid white line into a bus lane, but only "when there is no other choice, such as avoiding an obstruction or making way for emergency vehicles".
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"Drivers must leave the bus lane as soon as it is safe to do so, as even with legitimate reasons, crossing into the lane can result in a fine and may require going through an appeals process," he said.
According to RAC data, roughly a third of drivers stated that bus lane signs are difficult to spot while driving and are not easy to understand.
A further 23 per cent shared that the signs are visible enough but not easy to understand, with 85 per cent of drivers warning that there is "too much information to read and take in" about the hours of operation.
Meanwhile, fears about accidentally being caught driving in a bus lane have caused a third of drivers to "err on the side of caution" by not driving in bus lanes altogether.
Drivers can only drive in bus lanes during certain times of the day
| GETTYAn additional 31 per cent detailed how they would only drive in a bus lane if they are "absolutely sure" it's not in operation.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams warned that the majority of drivers "don't deliberately set out to drive in bus lanes, so it's good to see this research confirming that".
He added: "Our suspicions around the visibility and clarity of bus lane signage have also been borne out, with drivers expressing considerable concerns about signs often being hard to spot and difficult to understand.
"There is so much else to take in, from vehicles and other road users to traffic lights and warning signs."