Some people's driving habits can infuriate others from not indicating to hogging the middle lane - but these and other mistakes can lead to a hefty fine.
Drivers may think they know the Highway Code inside and out or their mistakes won't amount to anything, but there are common driving mistakes many people make.
These can be extremely dangerous, and they can also land motorists with fines of up to £5,000.
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Drivers often pick up bad driving habits, but are surprised to hear that not only are these often illegal, they can result in penalty points, fines, or in extreme cases, the loss of your driving licence.
Here are some common driving mistakes which could lead to a hefty fine:
Driving with your dog without it being secured
Failing to make sure that your pet is properly secured in your car is a breach of the Highway Code, and could see owners hit with a fine of up to £5,000 for "careless driving".
While the code isn’t specific about where dogs should be placed in the car, it’s recommended that they sit in the backseat or boot for safety reasons.
Car dealer Peter Vardy also warns drivers against letting their dog stick their head out of the window, which could be a sign that your dog isn’t secured properly in the car - as well as distracting others on the road.
Although it’s not set out in law that dogs shouldn’t stick their head out of the window, drivers still risk being pulled over for ‘driving without due care and attention’, which could result in a fine and points on your licence.
Wiper blade error
Drivers could risk being fined up to £2,500 for not replacing the wiper blades on their car.
This is because you could be deemed to be driving a car in a dangerous condition, if broken or blunt wiper blades stop you from clearing your windscreen properly.
If your wiper blades aren’t working, then your visibility of the road could be affected while you’re driving.
As well as risking a £2,500 fine, you could also see three points added to your driving licence, according to National Tyres and Autocare.
If the offence is committed within three years of a previous conviction for a similar offence, then you could be disqualified from driving for a minimum of six years.
Failure to have proper control of a vehicle or full view of the road and traffic ahead also carries a fine of £1,000 - or £2,500 for passenger-carrying or goods vehicles.
Tailgating
Tailgating is when you are too close to the car in front of you, not leaving enough space for a safe stopping distance.
The recommended space between cars is a two-second gap from the vehicle in front of you.
It can also occur when a driver is trying to stop other road users from moving into their lane.
Tailgating greatly increases the chances of an accident, especially if the driver in front needs to brake sharply to stop. It can also be intimidating to the driver in front and can make them feel nervous on the road.
The punishment for this is a fine of £100 and three points on your licence.
Ben Smithson, a Uswitch Car Insurance expert said: "While the two-second gap provides a safe distance in many circumstances, weather conditions and visibility also need to be considered.
"There are situations where you need to keep more distance from the vehicle ahead, for example when driving in snow or ice, or on wet and slippery roads.
"Those who are towing a trailer or caravan should also keep more distance, alongside anyone driving in poorly lit areas or fog. If in doubt, always allow more distance."
Hogging the middle lane
The middle lane of the motorway should only be used for overtaking, but it's common to see people "hogging" the lane and staying firmly put there for their whole journey.
Sticking in the middle lane is actually a driving offence which falls under the careless driving category.
Rule 264 of the Highway Code states that: "You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear.
"If you are overtaking a number of slow-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past."
In June 2013, new penalties were introduced to help tackle the problem, giving police the power to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for careless driving. The change meant that motorists could be hit with a £100 fine and three penalty points for incorrect lane use.
Driving too slow
While driving too fast is one of the most common dangers in driving, driving too slow can also be just as dangerous.
Driving below the speed limit has the potential to enrage other motorists, encouraging dangerous behaviour on the roads, and leads to an increase in tailgating as well as dangerous overtaking.
Although many roads do not have minimum speed limits and speed cameras are unable to identify whether you're driving too slow, police officers do have the power to stop you if they feel you are at risk.
If you are caught driving too slow, penalties range from a verbal warning to a maximum fine of £5,000 for driving without care or attention. You can also get three points on your license.
Bad parking
As well as being an extremely annoying habit, parking badly can also be breaking the rules of the road.
Sometimes drivers park across two spots, or just park where they're not supposed to. Either way you can incur a fine.
The fine that you can get usually depends on the type of car park you're in, as different rules may apply. Many pay-and-display car parks state that vehicles must be left within the limits of a marked bay, suggesting if you park across two, you could risk being fined.
This also applies to residential parking bays, where leaving your vehicle outside the lines of the space could lead to a penalty from a traffic warden.
Fines, or Penalty Charge Notices, can range from £25 to £100 and increase further if you do not pay them in time.
Not indicating
Indicators are a key safety aspect of driving as it allows the drivers around you to know of your intentions for your next actions and in response they can react accordingly.
Lack of using your indicators can be confusing for the other drivers around you and can result in a road traffic accident.
Pedestrians also know when to cross the road safely if you use your indicators accordingly.
The Highway Code says: "Signals warn and inform other road users, including pedestrians, of your intended actions."
If you fail to indicate for a pedestrian and somebody is injured as a result, you can be charged for 'driving without due care or attention', or even dangerous driving in very serious incidents, and could see you faced with nine penalty points, a fine, and even a potential disqualification.
Unnecessary beeping
Some people beep when they see their friends or in a moment of road rage, but these reasons are not what your car's horn is for.
According to the Highway Code, drivers should only use their horns "while your vehicle is moving, and you need to warn other road users of your presence."
It should never be used aggressively or to alert someone when you're outside their home.
It is illegal to use your horn when your car is stationary on the road, and when driving in a built-up area between the hours of 11.30pm and 7am.
Police have the power to give you a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of £30, which can be increased to up to £1,000 if you fail to pay.
