New law snares more than 70 drivers in seven months

The new regulations, brought in last August, take a tough line on drivers who tailgate others and take on dangerous manouvres. Most of the penalties issued in the West Mercia force area have been for wheel-spins and handbrake turns.

Inconsiderate motorists who accelerate through a puddle, mount the pavement or tailgate can now be issued with on-the-spot fines of £100 or three penalty points, which can be reduced by taking a safe driving course.

West Mercia Police said that 77 drivers had so far been either ordered to attend a retraining course or issued a fixed penalty notice.

Of those, 33 had been for performing wheel-spins or handbrake turns, 11 were pulled over for lane discipline, including "needless hogging" in the middle or outside lanes. Five people were in trouble for driving too close to the vehicle in front, and three were caught failing to give way at a junction and 10 drivers were dealt with for overtaking and pushing into a queue of traffic, while eight were in the wrong lane on a roundabout.

The remaining seven found themselves in trouble over"inappropriate speed".

Victoria Bristow, a spokeswoman for West Mercia Police's Safer Roads Partnership, said: "It's encouraging that the vast majority of people using our roads are doing it in a safe, sensible way, however West Mercia Police will continue to enforce the law for those that chose to drive in a selfish, unsafe manner."

Some of the police forces chose not to issue penalty points, instead dealing with cases with traffic offence reports and re-education. But some forces, including Dyfed-Powys Police, are not stopping inconsiderate drivers at all because they do not offer the education course.