Police forces have started clamping down on motorway offence in recent years
Drivers are being warned about ‘new’ motorway rules which are being punished by police. Officers have started enforcing these laws over recent years in a bid to improve safety on the motorways.
And many motorists may not be aware they could be hit with fines or penalty points for committing this ‘offence’.
When on the motorway, most drivers think about speeding as the main reason they could get into trouble, or perhaps tailgating or middle-lane hogging.
READ MORE: Millions of motorists break the Highway Code by parking on their driveway
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But police are also increasingly clamping down on ‘red X’ offences, with cameras monitoring traffic.
For anyone who doesn’t know, red X signs are displayed on overhead gantries on some sections of motorway, including on the M6 in the West Midlands.
When they flash up, it signals the lane is closed because of an incident up ahead, such as a crash, roadworks or a broken-down vehicle.
It tells motorists they should move out of the lane as soon as it is safe to do so.
But some drivers may carry on travelling in the same lane, perhaps to beat a queue of traffic. It’s possible some drivers may not know they are doing anything wrong – but a red X signals they need to move.
Police forces have started dishing out fines to offenders over the last few years, with exclusive figures showing hundreds have been punished in the West Midlands.
There were 655 red X offences recorded in 2022 and another 648 in 2023, freedom of information data showed.
Numbers actually fell last year, down to 431, and it may be that more drivers are becoming aware of red X cameras.
Nationally, police forces began enforcing red X offences in 2021, resulting in over 53,000 fines in the following three years.
Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at campaign group IAM RoadSmart, said: “Ignoring a red X sign on a smart motorway is dangerous because it risks a serious collision and for this reason, we welcome police forces clamping down on those who break the law.
“If a lane is closed on smart motorway, it usually indicates there is either a stranded vehicle ahead, people are working in the road, or there has been a collision.”
