Bad driving habits can lead to fines of up to £5,000, new data reveals

• Cutting drivers up, drink driving, and beeping aggressively revealed as the most expensive bad driving habits and criminal offences
• Meanwhile, eating behind the wheel, speeding, and loud music revealed as the most common careless behaviours committed by motorists - which can result in fines of up to £300.
• Tailgating is named as the most annoying driving habit to other drivers, as over two fifths (41%) say this is the habit that annoys them the most
• The team behind Confused.com car insurance reveal what the most annoying driving habits could mean for your car insurance

Everyone has their different traits and quirks behind the wheel. But what many people don’t realise is that bad driving habits and offences result in a fine as high as £5,000.

That’s according to new research from Confused.com which reveals that almost 9 in 10 (86%) motorists admit to having at least one bad driving habit.

Often, bad habits behind the wheel could actually be considered as a driving offence. This means they can come with fines, penalty points, and sometimes even disqualifications from driving.

Cutting up other drivers, drink driving, and aggressive beeping have been revealed as the most costly bad driving habits and offences, with the maximum penalties mounting to £5,000 on average. With 47% admitting to doing them, nearly half of drivers could face huge penalties for their driving tendencies.

By cutting up another driver, motorists could face severe consequences. That’s as careless driving carries a maximum fine of up to £5,000 and 3 to 9 penalty points¹.

Drinking while driving could land drivers with fines from £2,500², while beeping aggressively could result in a £30 on the spot fine which increases to £1,000 if the case goes to court³.

The team behind Confused.com car insurance reveals the five most expensive driving habits by fine:

It's not just the most expensive driving habits that motorists are guilty of. There are also more common, seemingly innocent habits that can carry serious consequences.

Confused.com reveals the most common driving habits and how much this can cost drivers

The research reveals that eating behind the wheel (47%), speeding (45%), and playing music too loud (32%) are the most common bad habits drivers admit doing behind the wheel. Such habits can land drivers with fines of up to £300.

Of those who admit to speeding, over half (52%) of men are likely to speed compared to over a third (39%) of women. Yet, of those who admit to speeding, only 1 in 4 (28%) were caught doing so.

This common driving habit could have serious repercussions for drivers who are caught. The legal penalties for speeding in the UK is a fine of £100 and three penalty points being added to your licence⁴.

Drivers who use a phone when behind a wheel could face fines of up to £200 as well as incurring six penalty points on a licence⁵. That’s as using or interacting with a mobile device when driving is illegal.

What many drivers don’t realise is that certain habits could land them with fines, penalty points, and insurance issues.

With maximum fines reaching £5,000, lapses behind the wheel could end up hitting drivers hard financially. And for the drivers who have multiple bad driving habits, prices can quickly increase when many don't even realise they are illegal.

Despite so many drivers admitting to committing bad habits behind the wheel, there are a few behaviours that still irk them when committed by another driver.

Tailgating tops the list for the habit that other drivers are irritated by the most. That’s as over two fifths (41%) of drivers claim this is the habit that is the most annoying. Again, this would be classed as careless driving and could result in fines of up to £100 as well as 3 penalty points ⁶. However, in some cases drivers have been fined £241 for tailgating another car, on average.

Using a phone while driving (37%), being cut up (29%), and poor parking (28%) closely follow for being the most annoying driving habits. Yet, 20% of drivers have admitted to doing things behind the wheel themselves that would annoy them if another driver did them.

Some annoying driving habits can also be seasonal. During the summer months, 16% of drivers admit to driving in flip flops, while a further 13% drive completely barefoot.

As the winter approaches, the research found that nearly a third (32%) of drivers set off without fully defrosting their car. While a further 26% also admitted to driving with frost on their car. Not only can this compromise drivers visibility and safety when on the roads but if caught, drivers could be looking at a fine of up to £100 ⁷.

Annoying driving habits could sometimes result in road rage for other drivers. A third (33%) say they have experienced road rage at least sometimes. The main causes for road rage include being overtaken dangerously (48%), being cut up (45%), and another driver merging without indicating (36%).

As a result, nearly half (47%) of drivers believe severely disruptive habits that compromise safety should come with a fine. While a further 46% think that more needs to be done to stop poor driving habits in general.

Over 6 in 10 (62%) drivers are unaware that certain driving habits can void their insurance. As a result, the majority of motorists could be exposed to significant financial risk without knowing it. If drivers get a conviction, their insurance costs could increase by up to 50% for minor convictions. For more serious offences, costs could double or triple - and in some cases void the insurance altogether ⁸.

It’s clear that many drivers aren't aware of what constitutes a habit and what could be classed as a driving offence. Only 38% of drivers know that flashing another driver to warn of a speed camera could be considered an offence. And as only 15% would tell another driver when they’ve done something annoying, there is a lack of accountability for poor driving habits.

Confused.com outlines the most annoying driving habits and what this could mean for your insurance .

Matt Crole-Rees, Motoring Expert at Confused.com comments:

Notes to editors