And that flashing to warn other drivers of a speed trap ahead could see you paying out £1,000!
Driving on the motorway for many is a stressful and intimidating experience, especially for fresh new drivers who’ve just passed their test and are using the motorway for the first time.
Motorists can take an advanced motorway driving course to help them gain more confidence driving on these extremely busy, fast network of roads but it seems only a few of us do.
Thankfully, this year it looks as though learner drivers for the first time ever will be taking lessons on the motorway under the supervision of an experienced instructor and will only be allowed when they are deemed good enough to do so.
Learning how to driver properly and in a safe manner on the motorway is important for all drivers but for many it seems that over time we pick up a few little bad habits along the way which could put ourselves and other road users in danger, not to mention how much it might cost in fines and points on our licences!
Did you know that stopping unnecessarily on the hard shoulder could land you a £50 fine! © Copyright David Dixon and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Most drivers commute with no intention of breaking the law but with so many driving offences out there on the roads that many of us aren’t aware of or have simply forgotten exist, there’s a slim chance that even the safest of drivers could find themselves in trouble with the law.
For instance, did you know that stopping unnecessarily on the hard shoulder could land you a £50 fine which could be doubled to £100 if you get caught driving on the hard shoulder. The only time a hard shoulder should be used is in case of an emergency such as your vehicle breaking down.
However, on smart motorways the hard shoulder lane is used on occasion by motorists but if a red X is displayed on the overhead gantries then the lane is not in use.
The red X is there to inform drivers that the lane is closed but it looks as though some motorists prefer to ignore the display. Unlucky for them as roadside cameras can detect any driver choosing to flout the law, meaning a fixed penalty notice of £100 and three penalty points if caught.
Hogging the middle lane and tailgating are two driving offences that really annoy and frustrate drivers in the UK. Any motorist caught hogging the middle lane can be fined £100 plus three points on their licence. Tailgating can be extremely dangerous and mostly occurs on the fast lane of the motorway – get caught and you could face a £100 fine and three penalty points.
Warning other drivers of a speed trap on the motorway comes with a huge fine of up to £1,000. It’s classed as obstructing a police officer when you flash your headlights to warn other road users.
Rule 110 of the Highway Code states: “Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there.”
“Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.”
The most common driving offence that motorists commit on motorways in the UK is probably speeding, normally punishable by way of a £100 fine and three penalty points but new rules concerning how fines are calculated came into effect in April 2017.
Now fines are split into three bands; A, B and C – offenders are now graded based on how much over the speed limit they are, meaning you could be fined by up to 175% of your weekly wage depending on the severity of your case and could be looking at a fine anywhere from £1,000 right up to £2,500!
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