Middle-lane hogging, undertaking and even having your car radio too loud on the motorway can all get you a hefty fine.

So how many motorists have been fined for ‘careless’ driving on the M56?

Yet another crash caused major delays on the notorious stretch near Chester on Monday.

Some commenters on the Chronicle's Facebook page say they believe drivers are at fault for the high rate of incidents.

Andy Clark said: “This motorway reflects the driving standards of the UK. Nothing to do with the motorway itself.”

Since the start of 2014, 36 drivers have been hit with fines for ‘driving without due care and attention’, otherwise known as careless driving, on the M56.

This is just over one a month.

It is also significantly fewer than the number of crashes, with there being 112 in the last year between junctions 12 and 15 alone.

Cheshire Police do not believe there is one consistent cause of the collisions.

Roads policing inspector Steve Griffiths said: “The M56 is a busy road which is used by thousands of motorists on a daily basis.

“There are a large number of factors which cause collisions; therefore it is not possible to detail the specific factors behind road traffic collisions on this stretch of motorway.

“We are in regular contact with our partner agencies to continue to improve safety on our road network.”

Traffic at a standstill on the M56

So far in 2016, nine drivers have been fined by Cheshire Police, slightly down on the 15 last year and 12 in 2014.

The statistics were obtained by a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the constabulary.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service, this offence is committed when the person’s driving ‘falls below the standard expected of a competent and careful driver’.

Middle-lane hogging, using a mobile phone and lighting a cigarette all come under that description.

It also applies to tailgating, which the chevrons on the M56 between J12 and J14 are in place to help prevent.

In serious cases, a person found guilty of careless driving can face a fine of up to £5,000 and nine points on their licence, or a disqualification from driving altogether.

Last week Cheshire Police released footage of a man using two phones while travelling on the M6

A woman was also filmed reading a book at the wheel on the M56 in August.

What do you think of this story? Are bad drivers to blame for crashes on the M56? Let us know in the comments below.