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Motorway Undertaking Risks £100 Fine and Three Points Under Careless Driving Rules

Rule 268 allows passing on the left in congested traffic under specific conditions.

Overview

  • New reminders from UK outlets on March 4 stress that undertaking is not explicitly illegal but hazardous examples can be penalised as careless driving.
  • Police can issue a £100 fixed penalty and three penalty points when the manoeuvre is judged careless or without due care and attention.
  • Some forces may offer a driver education course as an alternative to immediate penalties, reflecting enforcement discretion.
  • The Highway Code warns drivers not to weave between lanes to overtake, though keeping pace with your lane in slow, similar-speed traffic is permitted.
  • Officers may penalise middle‑lane drivers when the left lane is clear, and motorists who pass them on the left may also face action depending on circumstances.