As part of a crackdown on careless driving, there are plans for the police to hand out 60 pounds on-the- spot fines and three points on their licence for motorists responsible for minor accidents. The controversial proposals will also target distracting behaviour on the part of the driver such as drinking, eating, and map-reading whilst at the wheel.

The move drawn up by the Department of Transport is designed to bring the offence of careless driving in line with those for speeding. The plans have triggered fierce criticism from those who think it is nothing more than yet another way of cashing in on the motorist. According to the papers issued by the Department of Transport, all funds raised from on-the-spot fines would go to the Treasury which already takes over 100 million pounds a year from speed cameras.

Under UK law, motorists must stick to the Highway Code which says amongst other things, that drivers must not eat or drink whilst driving or argue with a passenger or listen to loud music. Currently, prosecutions for careless driving are processes through the courts but in recent times the number of convictions has fallen sharply. There are worries that this decline results from the huge paperwork load involved, and the Government believes that on-the-spot fines would 'increase enforcement action being taken against those demonstrably driving badly'.

Conversely, campaigners against believe that the new system will see motorists fall foul of police officers under pressure to achieve targets and prove their cost-effectiveness. A spokesman for the police said: 'Police are not daft. Like the rest of us they are human and will take the easiest option. The easier it is for them to meet targets by issuing tickets, the more likely they will do that.' A spokesman from the TaxPayers' Alliance retorted: 'This smacks of trying to make a fast buck out of drivers who are already over taxed.'

The Department for Transport claim that the rules are really focussed on penalising more serious offences, such as colliding with a stationary car or driving on the hard shoulder, rather than just eating a sandwich or playing loud music. In any case drivers will always be able to contest their case in court.

Always remember it's up to you to disclose any driving offences to your car insurance company. Frequently, people automatically renew their insurance when the renewal form arrives through the door and forget to report to their insurer things have changed since they last renewed. If you do not make sure you report any changes your insurers is quite likely to reject any subsequent claim.

And whilst on this subject, never automatically re-insure with your current insurance company. It is quite possible that their quote is still the cheapest, but unless you check, you'll never know. Go online and find an independent broker with access to the full insurance market. Then you you will know which is the cheapest insurer for you.