Misconceptions and naivety could cost car drivers money and points on their licence, research showed today.

As many as 46% of drivers surveyed said they thought a police officer had to be wearing their hat to book you for a traffic offence, rising to 55% among older drivers. While this was once the case, it's no longer true - an officer just has to be recognisable, hat or no hat.

The poll, carried out for Tesco Personal Finance, also showed that one in five drivers believed they could drive fast enough to beat a speed camera. In fact, you would have to be speeding along at 171mph in order to escape the camera's flash.

An estimated 13 million motorists thought they only had to tell their insurer if they had six or more points on their licence. However, Allan Burns spokesman for Tesco motor insurance, explained: "Points received for any motoring offence, no matter how minor, should always be declared."

Other potentially costly myths uncovered by the survey included:

Myth: You can't be booked for speeding in a hire car.

Fact: If you're caught on camera, the rental company will pass your details to the authorities and you'll be treated as though you were driving your own car.

Myth: You can't get into trouble for driving too slowly.

Fact: If a police officer thinks you're a risk to others, you can be booked, no matter what speed you're doing.

Myth: If you make a claim on your insurance, you lose all your no claims discount.

Fact: Only if you have just a couple of years' no claims discount. In most cases, you will go back two steps. So if you have five years' no claims discount and you make a claim, you will go back to three years' no claims discount.

Myth: Speed cameras only catch people in the left-hand lane.

Fact: Speed cameras can take shots across all lanes.

Myth: Reflective number plates make it impossible for speed cameras to take photos.

Fact. Not true. Tests have shown that no number plate on the market can stop a speed camera taking a shot.