Motorists prosecuted every week for driving wrong way on motorway
Ervis Hatellari was convicted after being caught reversing a Nissan Qashqai along the M11 in Essex
A motorist is prosecuted every week for risking a head-on collision by driving the wrong way on the motorway, research has found.
Reckless drivers are caught reversing along the carriageway, pulling U-turns next to high-speed traffic and driving backwards in a bid to reach a missed exit junction, court papers show.
The Press Association has found that 31 drivers in the past 30 weeks were charged by police with criminal offences involving driving in the wrong direction on the motorways of England and Wales.
Those convicted are typically ordered to pay out hundreds of pounds in fines and court fees while some face driving bans as a result of their actions.
In June, National Highways data obtained by the Press Association revealed that 947 incidents involving “oncoming vehicles” on England’s motorways had been logged in the 12 months to May 11.
In a recent court case, Ervis Hatellari, 38, from Woodford Green in north-east London, was convicted after being caught reversing a Nissan Qashqai along the M11 in Essex.
Sergeant Philip Roberts, from Essex Police, said the incident happened at around 10pm on New Year’s Eve 2025 when he saw the car “in the hard shoulder and half in lane one of the M11, with reverse lights on, backing up to junction five.”
When Hatellari was pulled over, it turned out his driving licence had been revoked and the vehicle was being driven while uninsured
At Chelmsford Magistrates Court on July 27, Hatellari was fined ÂŁ660, banned from driving for a year and also ordered to pay ÂŁ120 costs and a ÂŁ264 victim surcharge.
In June, the National Highways said its data showing 947 incidents of wrong way driving could include unconfirmed reports and it insisted “confirmed incidents of wrong‑way driving on motorways remain rare. Every report is treated seriously and acted on quickly”.
Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: “To think anyone could drive the wrong way onto a motorway heading into fast-moving traffic is truly the stuff of nightmares.”