Drivers pulled over for ‘hogging’ middle lane of motorway at night

Motorway police have shared an image after a driver was pulled over for ‘hogging’ the middle lane.

The driver was pulled over after they were spotted driving down the middle lane on the M6 during the night last week.

North West Motorway Police revealed that six people were reported ‘for driving without due care and attention’ by driving in the middle lane.

‘Hogging’ the middle lane by staying in it for longer than is deemed necessary is illegal, and can prevent fellow drivers from overtaking – causing congestion.

Lancashire Police / Facebook

Motorists can also be forced to move across two lanes, if they are in the inside lane, to overtake the car hogging the middle lane to avoid ‘undertaking’.

And the Highway Code asks drivers to remain in the left-hand lane if the road is clear – unless they are overtaking.

According to rule 264 of the Highway Code: “Be aware of emergency services, traffic officers, recovery workers and other people or vehicles stopped on the hard shoulder or in an emergency area.

“If you are driving in the left lane, and it is safe to do so, you should move into the adjacent lane to create more space between your vehicle and the people and stopped vehicles.”

North West Motorway Police posted about the incident on Twitter, saying: “Lane hogging was the theme with a total of six being reported for driving without due care & attention as they failed to use the left hand lane on the M6.

“Even the overhead message boards displaying ‘KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING’ didn’t make any difference!”