Drivers are leaving themselves wide open to collisions, fines and driving bans by making a wide range of careless habits daily, new research reveals.

Drivers take risks on a daily basis, including hogging the middle lane, running red lights and speeding, according to the study

Lack of focus when behind the wheel can prove catastrophic, yet the study by Venson Automotive Solutions found drivers frequently take risks, including hogging the middle lane, running red lights and speeding.

The study found over seven in 10 (71%) contravene the Highway Code to use their headlights to signal to other drivers.

Meanwhile, around half confessed to regular sudden braking and speeding – 54% and 48% respectively.

More than four in 10 (46%) hog the middle lane on motorways and 44% say they drive too slowly. And over a third (37%) admit to being distracted by their satnav or mobile phone occasionally.

That’s despite the potential penalties for careless driving, which mean that any of these careless habits could result in the driver being disqualified.

With an estimated 14 million grey fleet drivers and nearly two million true fleet drivers on the UK’s roads, businesses operating fleets should be particularly concerned by the survey findings, according to Venson.

Simon Staton, client management director, said: “The risks businesses are exposed to by careless driving of employees are significant. Working together with fleet managers, senior management teams within organisations must help enforce a robust policy and processes to ensure drivers not only keep their Highway Code knowledge fresh and up to date, brushing up on existing rules and understanding any changes but also that persistent offenders are highlighted and bad behaviours managed accordingly.

“Having drivers fully aware of the duty of care to themselves, their employer, other road users and pedestrians, should help them to understand how to reduce the risk of incurring significant financial penalties, avoiding significant harm to others and limiting the risk of losing their licence. All of these will impact business efficiencies and could even end up with a custodial sentence for a company director should a serious incident occur.”

National Highways has launched a campaign calling on lane hoggers and tailgaters to change their driving style as it warns of the dangers to safety.

Close to half of the Venson survey respondents admitted to hogging the middle lane, and 12% confessed to tailgating. Worryingly, a survey commissioned by National Highways found that these behaviours can seriously affect other drivers: lane hogging was among the behaviours most likely to cause frustration for motorists, while tailgating was among the most likely to make drivers feel anxious, stressed or unsafe.

Simon Staton finished up: “Careless driving not only risks directly causing a collision, but it can increase stress for other drivers and therefore cause them to be distracted and more likely to cause a collision themselves. Increasing driver focus and reducing bad habits through driver training and awareness campaigns will help improve safety and reduce risk for all road users.”