Some typical examples of careless driving under the new rules include overtaking on the inside, “tailgating”, emerging from a side road into the path of another vehicle, tuning a car radio and middle lane hogging.
In situations where the owner of a vehicle fails to identify the driver when an offence was committed, the fine will rise from £120 to £200 and points will be imposed. Where someone is caught driving without insurance, they will be fined £300, an increase from the current level of £200.
Andy Turner, director of driver training solutions provider, Drive Smarter, commented: ‘Now, any in-car distractions that cause you to swerve or drive badly could lead to the issue of a fine. The key thing is that you don’t have to inconvenience other road users to be issued with a ticket.
‘It’s also worth remembering that the fine for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving rises from £60 to £100 today.’