Are you a middle-lane hogger? Shocking survey on motorway driving – and why you should avoid lurking in the middle lane
It infuriates many motorists, while others carry on oblivious to the chaos it can cause.
Nearly one in three drivers admits to middle lane hogging on motorways, a new survey suggests.
Some 32 per cent of respondents to a poll commissioned by National Highways said they do this at least “occasionally”, including five per cent who confessed to “always” doing it.
More than a fifth of those questioned said they tailgate, which the RAC described as “frightening”.
The Highway Code states drivers on motorways and dual-carriageways should use the left lane unless they are overtaking, and allow “at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on high-speed roads”.
National Highways has launched a campaign with the slogan “little changes, change everything”, which warns of the impact of middle lane hogging and tailgating.
The Government-owned company said poor lane discipline is among the behaviours most likely to cause other road users to feel frustrated, while tailgating often makes people feel anxious, stressed or unsafe.
Both offences can be prosecuted as careless driving, for which police can hand out £100 on-the-spot fines and three penalty points.
Department for Transport figures show 198 people were killed and a further 6,730 were seriously injured in crashes on Britain’s roads in the 10 years to the end of 2022 in which a vehicle “following too close” was a contributory factor.
