Middle lane hogs and drivers who tailgate face fines under new motoring rules

 
John Dunne @jhdunne5 June 2013

The Government announced a crackdown on roadhogs and tailgaters today as part of a shake-up of motoring offence penalties.

Drivers who hog the middle lane or tailgate other cars risk on-the-spot fines of £100 and three points on their licence under plans unveiled today by road safety minister Stephen Hammond.

The fixed penalty of £100 will also enable police to offer educational training as an alternative to licence endorsement. Drivers will still be able to appeal against any decision in court.

The plans also include a rise from £60 to £100 in the fine for using a hand-held mobile phone while at the wheel and a similar increase in the penalty for not wearing a seatbelt.

Mr Hammond 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.”

AA president Edmund King said: “This epidemic of hand-held mobile phone use while driving has already cost lives and our members have demanded action.

"An increase in the standard motoring fixed penalty fine will help deter those who commit motoring offences including mobile phone use. AA members broadly support an increase in the level of the fixed penalty. Our members also fully support educational training as an alternative to penalty points.”

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