When Teddy, a 22-year-old learner driver, slid behind the wheel for a recent lesson, she never expected her nerves would be pushed to the breaking point by a tailgating driver. "I was so anxious, to the point where my hands and body were shaking. I wanted to park up and just not drive any more," Teddy told BBC Morning Live, recalling how the other motorist followed her closely, headlights glaring—even though it was broad daylight. For many in the UK, learning to drive is a rite of passage. But for Teddy and countless others, that journey is increasingly marred by intimidation, impatience, and outright abuse from fellow road users.
The UK’s roads are becoming a battleground for new drivers. By law, learners must display L plates at the front and rear of their vehicles (with D plates also accepted in Wales), signaling to everyone that there’s an inexperienced driver at the helm. Yet, instead of eliciting patience, these plates often seem to provoke the opposite reaction. Teddy’s frightening ordeal only ended when the aggressive driver pulled off to a shop, but the damage to her confidence was already done. Still, she’s chosen to persevere and has recently restarted her lessons—an act of resilience mirrored by many of her peers.
The challenges don’t end with tailgating. According to the BBC, the average waiting time for a driving test is now just under six months, leaving learners in limbo and prolonging their exposure to on-road hostility. Driving instructors, too, are feeling the strain. Debbie, Teddy’s instructor, says, "I'd consider it a good day if I go home and don't recollect any kind of aggressive behaviour towards the learner driver sat next to me." The abuse is so routine that instructors are increasingly turning to dashcams to record incidents of intimidation and dangerous driving.
The numbers tell a stark story. Over the past five years, police forces across the UK have received more than 170,000 dashcam clips from the public, as reported by the National Dashcam Safety Portal. About 70% of these submissions have led to official action—ranging from warnings to prosecutions. It’s not just learners who are targeted; instructors themselves can become victims. Sonya, a driving instructor from Cheshire, experienced a terrifying assault last year while supervising a pupil’s first lesson. When her student briefly blocked a driveway, a passenger from the returning homeowner’s car got out, yanked open Sonya’s door, and pressed her seatbelt against her neck. The man even threatened to smash up the car with a hammer. Though Sonya managed to finish the lesson, she broke down in tears at home. The attacker was later charged and fined £565.
In the wake of the assault, Sonya upgraded to a car with automatic locking doors and installed dashcams for extra security. She’s not alone—dashcam evidence is now a crucial tool for both instructors and law enforcement. According to PC Richard Woodward, a traffic officer with Cheshire Police for 19 years, impatience toward learner drivers and their instructors is a growing problem. "The police have a number of powers for dealing with aggressive driving and related threatening behaviour," he explained to the BBC. Among these is Section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002, which allows officers to issue a warning that stays on an individual’s record for 12 months. A second similar offence within that year can result in the offending vehicle being impounded.
The consequences for inconsiderate or aggressive driving don’t end with police action. "If you do get a driving without due care or inconsiderate driving conviction, typically, insurance companies put your policy up by about 40% each year," PC Woodward noted. That’s a hefty penalty for a moment’s impatience. And the risks extend beyond finances: convictions can add penalty points to a driver’s license, potentially pushing repeat offenders toward disqualification.
Road rage isn’t limited to incidents involving learners. Middle lane hogging—a widespread but often overlooked offense—has been a punishable act on UK motorways since 2013. Under careless driving laws, anyone caught lingering in the middle lane without good reason faces a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points, which remain on their license for four years. Motoring experts from Number1Plates told reporters that many drivers still ignore these rules, mistakenly believing that sitting in the middle lane is safer or more convenient.
But this habit is far from harmless. As outlined by Number1Plates and reported in the press, middle lane hogging disrupts the flow of traffic, forces other motorists to overtake from the right (which can cause congestion and accidents), and is a top source of road rage. Since the law’s introduction, enforcement has remained active, with motorway patrols and cameras regularly catching offenders. In the first year alone, over 2,000 fines were issued for careless driving offenses, including both tailgating and middle lane hogging. The penalties can be particularly severe for those with existing points on their license, increasing the risk of disqualification and higher insurance premiums.
Motoring experts urge drivers to keep left unless overtaking and to return promptly to the left lane after passing slower traffic. "Middle lane hogging is one of those habits that people do not think much about, but it carries real consequences. A little extra awareness can save you money, protect your licence, and help make the motorway a safer place for all," a spokesperson from Number1Plates said.
For those still learning, the advice is clear: stay calm and stick to safe driving practices, even when faced with intimidation. The AA Driving School recommends keeping your eyes on the road, maintaining a safe and legal speed, and if possible, increasing the gap between you and the vehicle in front. Letting aggressive drivers pass safely—without pulling over suddenly or stopping in an unsafe spot—can help defuse tense situations. And while tailgating is an unpleasant rite of passage for many, instructors say it’s an important learning moment. Once the situation has passed, learners are encouraged to discuss the experience with their instructor and consider how to handle similar incidents in the future.
Debbie, the driving instructor, has a simple plea for road users: "Just think about how you felt when it was you [learning to drive]. And if you can't remember that, then just think about how you would feel if a driver was intimidating someone you loved." Teddy, speaking for learners everywhere, adds, "Don't tailgate. Just give us a bit of room."
On UK roads, a little patience and empathy could go a long way—saving more than just money or points on a license. It might just help restore the confidence of the next generation of drivers.
