Careless drivers in Kent have been slapped with penalties only a handful of times since new powers were granted to police, according to an exclusive KMTV investigation.

Since August 2013 officers have been able to issue £100 on-the-spot fines to drivers caught lane hogging or tailgating, who can also be given three points on their licence.

But Kent Police records reveal only 16 occasions, roughly once every two months, where officers have issued penalties to drivers specifically for using lanes incorrectly since the legislation came into force, according to information obtained by freedom of information requests.

VIDEO: Lane hoggers and tailgaters get an easy ride - Ben Kennedy reports

For tailgating, there are only four records of police penalising motorists - little more than once every seven months.

For the umbrella offence of careless driving, which covers lane hogging, tailgating, inconsiderate driving among other offences, Kent Police records show 243 tickets issued since August 2013.

This is five times less than Nottinghamshire Police, a similarly sized county with several dual carriageways, which handed out 1,369 tickets in the same period.

What's more, a freedom of information request made to Surrey Police showed it had already issued 187 notices for tailgating and lane hogging by June 2014 - 159 more than Kent Police handed out by the end of 2015.

A spokesman for Kent Police said officers do not always record the reason for issuing a ticket in cases of careless driving, despite there being a text box for this on the notice document, and so the real number of penalties issued is likely to be higher.

They added that lane hogging may be recorded under separate headings including lack of concentration, inconsiderate driving, or inappropriate driving.

"Kent Police will continue to use Notices of Intended Prosecution, as well as other measures, to enforce the law and keep our roads safe."

However, when considering data including these categories as potentially being issued for lane hogging, the total number recorded still only reaches 30 - approximately one per month.

A police spokesman said: "The figures issued are speculative; they will not include motorists given verbal warning or motorists dealt with in other ways and for additional offences, such as speeding.

"The actual offence that is recorded for middle lane discipline is that of careless driving. Though in some instances 'lane discipline' is recorded in the text, in other cases the same offence may have been dealt with as lack of concentration, inconsiderate driving or inappropriate driving. In other cases the reason for issuing the ticket may not be recorded.

"It is in everyone’s interest and safety for all motorists to obey road traffic legislation. Kent Police will continue to use Notices of Intended Prosecution, as well as other measures, to enforce the law and keep our roads safe."

Rule 264 of the Highway Code says: "You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past."

Mark Snowden, a driving instructor from Chatham, said: "It's just not the right thing to do in the first place. We all know that.

"Some people are a little bit frightened of changing lanes so they think they're making their lives easier.

"If I was that worried about traffic I'd stay in the left lane.

"As a normal driver I'm often towing, when lane hogging can be a pest because I'm restricted on a three-lane motorway. I can't use the outside lane, so if I want to overtake somebody who's driving at 50mph in the middle lane, I can't."