Expensive warning issued to drivers who hog the middle lane on the motorway
Although our driving instructors hammered the rules of the roads into us, it seems a staggering amount of motorists still don't get the gist of staying on the left.
One in three Brits who get behind the wheel admit to hogging the middle lane on motorways, according to a recent poll commissioned by National Highways, so it's clear that it's still a recurring issue that isn't going away.
When you're heading on a road trip, there is no doubt that you'll see at least one driver remaining firmly in the centre lane - and let's be honest, they're probably going to stay there until they reach their destination.
The survey of over 2,500 people in England which was conducted by the government-owned company in charge of our roads revealed that 32 percent of respondents admitted to 'occasionally' engaging in the bad habit, including five percent who said they 'always' do it.
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On top of that, 23 percent confessed to tailgating other vehicles, a statistic which the RAC described as 'frightening'.
I mean, it is pretty scary stuff - and as AA president Edmund King perfectly put it, 'some people seem to change personalities when cocooned in their metal boxes on wheels'.
It's alright acting like a Big Time Charlie while whipping down the motorway until you end up causing a dangerous crash or end up with a fixed penalty notice through the door.
So, as it seems we could all do with a refresher, let's remind ourselves of rule 264 of the Highway Code.
It states: "You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear.
"If you are overtaking a number of slow-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past.
"Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking."
If you are intending on leaving another driver in the dust and getting ahead of them, drivers should make sure they have 'at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on high-speed roads'.
Simple enough, right?
Well, apparently not for UK motorists - as the epidemic of middle lane hogging has gotten so bad, that National Highways has launched a fierce crackdown on the bad driving practice.
The latest campaign, which boasts the slogan 'little changes, change everything', hopes to educate people on the dangers and risks of both middle lane hogging and tailgating.
National Highways is also reminding people that these can both be quite expensive mistakes to make - and you could be prosecuted for careless driving for partaking in either.
That's because due to laws introduced in 2013, police can slap you with an on-the-spot fine of £100 as well as three penalty points, so having the monopoly on the middle lane could end up costing you more than a few quid.
National Highways director of road safety, Sheena Hague, said: "Bad habits can make driving on our motorways a challenging experience, as those who lane hog or tailgate frustrate other drivers and make them feel unsafe.
"Both are dangerous and can cause accidents."
"Our campaign aims to motivate motorists to embrace little changes, which will have an overall positive effect on both them and their fellow road users, reduce congestion and keep traffic flowing," she continued.
"The message is simple: always allow plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front, and unless overtaking move into the left-hand lane."
RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis added that middle lane hogging and tailgating 'puts everyone on the roads at risk' and warned that doing so could 'easily result in a serious collision'.
Olivia Burke