Motorists across the UK are being put on high alert as police forces unleash a fresh crackdown on what they're terming 'inconsiderate driving' – with instant £200 penalties now being dished out for a range of surprisingly common roadside acts.
The move, which empowers officers to issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) on the spot, targets behaviours many drivers may not even realise are finable offences. Leading the list is the classic – and utterly miserable – act of deliberately driving through a puddle to splash a pedestrian, which can now lighten your wallet by a cool two hundred pounds.
More Than Just Splashes: The Full List of Offences
But the crackdown extends far beyond soggy sidewalks. The £200 fine and six penalty points can be applied for a wider range of careless actions, including:
- Eating or drinking at the wheel if it leads to distracted driving.
- Dangerous manoeuvring in stationary traffic, such as cutting up other vehicles.
- Unnecessary slow driving that obstructs other road users.
- Middle-lane hogging on motorways, a long-standing bugbear for many.
This enforcement drive is made possible by a specific provision in the Road Traffic Act 1988, which deals with driving 'without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons'.
Police Zero-In on 'Fatal Four' and Inconsiderate Behaviour
The initiative is part of a broader national strategy to improve road safety by targeting the 'Fatal Four' major causes of collisions: speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, and using a mobile phone while driving.
However, police are now placing a sharper focus on the smaller, everyday acts of carelessness that, while perhaps seeming minor, can easily escalate into dangerous situations. The message from forces is clear: a moment of impatience or a split-second distraction is not worth a hefty fine, points on your licence, or worse.
Experts are urging all drivers to re-familiarise themselves with the Highway Code and to adopt a more courteous and focused approach behind the wheel. With officers actively on the lookout, that quick snack or impatient lane change could become a very expensive mistake.
