Middle lane hogs to face fines

Drivers who hog the middle lane or tailgate other cars face on-the-spot fines of £100 and three points on their licence, under new measures announced today.

The fine for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving or not wearing a seat belt will also rise from £60 to £100.

Report by Amy Welch.

Under new measures announced by the Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond, police are to be given powers to give on-the-spot fixed penalty notices for careless driving.

A fine of £100 with three points on the driver's licence will be issued for offences such as tailgating or middle lane hogging.

The fixed penalty will also enable the police to offer educational training as an alternative to endorsement.

The most serious examples of careless driving will continue to go through the court, where offenders may face higher penalties. Drivers will still be able to appeal any decision in court.

AA President Edmund King has welcomed Government plans to tackle middle lane hogs and drivers who tailgate other cars.

He said: “We are pleased to see that at long last new powers and fines will be given to the police to tackle the top three pet hates of drivers – tailgaters, mobile phone abusers and middle lane hogs.”

New government plans to tackle motoring offences are to be announced today by Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond. The plans include:

• Drivers who hog the middle lane or tailgate other cars face on-the-spot fines of £100 and three points on their licence
• Police are also expected to get powers to issue instant fixed penalty notices for not giving way at a junction or using the wrong lane at a roundabout

• The fine for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving or not wearing a seat belt is expected to rise from £60 to £100
• The fixed penalty for driving without insurance is expected to rise from £100 to £200

• The fixed penalty forcareless driving will be £100 with three points on the driver's licence
• The Government plans to bring the changes into force from July

Drivers who hog the middle lane or tailgate other cars face on-the-spot fines of £100 and three points on their licence under plans unveiled today.

Police are also expected to get powers to issue instant fixed penalty notices for not giving way at a junction or using the wrong lane at a roundabout.

Details of crackdown on anti-social motoring are due to be announced today by Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond.

He said: “Careless drivers are a menace and their negligence puts innocent people’s lives at risk. That is why we are making it easier for the police to tackle problem drivers by allowing them to immediately issue a Fixed Penalty Notice rather than needing to take every offender to court.

“We are also increasing penalties for a range of driving offences to a level which reflects their seriousness and which will ensure that they are consistent with other similar penalty offences."