More than 5,000 fines issued for lane hogging and tailgating

Dan Chung | Newscom | RTR

Following MSN Cars’ exclusive freedom of information investigation into lane hogging, it has emerged that more than 5,000 drivers have been stopped under new careless driving laws since 16 August 2013.

A series of freedom of information requests by Auto Express revealed that 1,454 people have been issued with on-the-spot fines for careless driving – which includes lane hogging and tailgating – in Scotland alone.

Police authorities turning a blind eye to lane hoggers
Fixed Penalty Notice driving offences explained
 

Although many areas won’t provide specific information on exactly why drivers have been stopped (usually just classing it as driving without due care and attention or inconsiderate driving), out of those that did Thames Valley issued the most fines for lane hogging – prosecuting 48 drivers for this offence since August last year. This compares with 84 undertaking offences and 46 tailgaters.

When MSN Cars carried out its investigation into lane hogging on the M25, Thames Valley police told us they hadn’t fined anyone for this offence on their small section of the circular motorway. However, the force also covers large distances of the M3, M4 and M40 motorways.

The freedom of information investigation revealed that 143 drivers had been reported for doing a wheelspin or a handbrake turn, with 42 those of those recorded in Lancashire.

Some forces reportedly aren’t using the new powers to fine drivers for careless driving, but they using re-education as a means of dealing with offenders, most likely by sending them on courses.

However, five forces – Northumbria, Durham, Dyfed-Powys, South Wales and Cleveland – aren’t stopping inconsiderate drivers at all, as it’s thought they don’t have the facilities to offer these courses.

The table below shows the top 10 police forces rated by the number of fixed penalty notices they have issued for careless driving, in the UK. Is it fair that police are stamping down on offences such as tailgating and lane hogging, or are there more important issues they should be concentrating on?

Police authorities turning a blind eye to lane hoggers
Fixed Penalty Notice driving offences explained
Fines for middle-lane hogs from this Friday
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By Andrew Brady, contributor, MSN Cars