News Updates
New driving laws for 2018 - here's what you need to know
Date posted: 2nd March 2018
April - digital driving licences
Last year a prototype digital driving licence was tested that will sit on your phone or in the Apple Wallet. The new digital licence will be used to support the photocard rather than replace it. Digitising the driving licence seems like a logical step, as more sensitive information is being stored on phones more often.
April - New tax on diesel cars
In April this year motorists with a diesel car will face a higher rate of tax. This applies to the first year of tax for diesel cars that fail the Real Driving Emissions 2 (RDE2) test. Tax is based on your car's emissions. The higher the emissions, the higher the tax. This is part of the government scheme to improve air quality in the UK. The change mainly impacts diesel car drivers as their emissions are higher than petrol cars.
Spring - Motorway law changes
New laws are being put in place in spring 2018 to stop motorists driving on lanes that are closed. Smart motorways run on four lanes. In peak periods, automated signs open and close the hard-shoulder to ease traffic at peak times. Driving in a closed lane is already illegal, but the new law will bring in a new fixed penalty for drivers flouting this rule. This will be
May - New MOT test categories
MOT test results will now be sorted into three new categories. The three categories for the MOT will now be dangerous, major and minor. This could make the test harder to pass. If your car receives a dangerous or major fault it'll instantly fail the test. If your car has a minor defect, it'll still be able to pass, but it’ll be noted down on the MOT certificate. For example if a car is leaking oil it would be a minor fault. But if it's dripping, the fault would be major and the car would fail the test.
On 20 May, diesel particulate filters will also form part of the MOT test. You'll fail the test if your particulate filter has been removed or tampered with.
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