2018 will see some big changes in motoring legislation. Read on to ensure you’re up to date.
New Digital Photo Licences will be brought in this April. The licence was tested last year and will reside on your smart-phone or Apple Wallet.
Rather than a full replacement for the physical licence, the digital licence will be used as a support for the photocard.
While not everyone will be comfortable with such data sitting on their mobile device, it seems a logical step as mobile technology becomes ever more central to our lives.
Owners of diesel cars will face a tax increase in April, based on the emissions of the vehicle; the higher the emissions, the more they will pay.
After years of promoting the uptake of diesel cars, the government wants to discourage their use, since they are believed to be responsible for poor air quality; NOx (nitrogen oxide) particles come from diesel fumes. They have been found to inflame the airways.
Vehicles aged 40 years or more are to be exempt from the annual MOT. It is believed classic car owners take very good care of their vehicles and so an MOT is not required.
The law change has caused consternation among some, who believe it could put other road users at risk. However, classic car owners will still be obliged under law to keep their vehicles in good working order.
The law will not apply to commercially-used large goods vehicles (max 3.5T) or buses with eight or more seats.
In spring new laws will arrive to prevent drivers from using closed lanes. While laws already exist for this, the new law will introduce a fixed penalty for those who drive on closed lanes.
The introduction of smart motorways, which run on up to four lanes, mean the hard shoulder may be opened up at busy times.
Cameras will catch those who flout the law by driving in closed lanes.
MOT test results will be separated into three categories: dangerous, major and minor. It has been argued that the MOT will now be harder to pass.
An instant fail will result from any dangerous or major fault. Cars with only minor issues will still pass, but these will be listed on the MOT certificate.
For instance, an oil leak would result in a minor fault. But if that oil is dripping from the vehicle, a major fault would be noted and a fail would result.
Diesel particulate filters will also be examined as part of the MOT process from May 20. If the filter has been removed or tampered with in any way, a fail will result.
Leaner drivers will be able to have lessons on UK motorways from June 4.
Learners must be accompanied by an approved instructor and dual controls must be fitted to the car.
At present, newly-passed drivers often take to the motorways by themselves. The new rules should mean driving on the motorway after passing will be less stressful - and safer for both the driver and other road users.
Last year, some firms launched scrappage schemes for diesel models registered before 2010. A raft of new schemes have been pencilled in for 2018.
This might mean £2,000 off for a new car, and £7,000 off for a new van. The new schemes have been introduced to encourage the take-up of less polluting, more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Your current car must comply with Euro 1-4 emissions standards, which in most cases means a registration date of before 2010.
No comparable government scheme is available at present.
With a view to making roads safer, recently-passed drivers may be restricted to daytime-only driving, perhaps for a period of up to two years after their pass date.
The fact that some motorists need to drive at night for work has scuppered previous attempts to pass the law.
But since new drivers have a high accident rate, the proposed law change is thought to have merit.
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