Hello and welcome to another weekly blog! This week we will be talking about new driving laws that have been introduced and how you can avoid getting caught out!
MOT test changes could see more cars instantly fail the new test. The new proposals that have been put forward are very stringent and any car that has an outstanding recall listed on it will automatically fail. Proposals have been made to adjust MOT test rules to see cars that have an outstanding recall against them instantly fail, this applies to all cars and there are no exemptions, PCO drivers included.
It is estimated that there are around 2.39 million cars on the road with existing recalls against them. Currently at the moment no date has been set as to when this new rule will be implemented but we expect that it will take sometime this year, as always we will ensure to keep all our drivers aware of any changes as and when they are implemented.
The MOT test changed in 2018 introducing three new categories – Minor, Major and Dangerous – which categorise the severity of a fault handed to a car.
Dangerous will result in an MOT failure, and applies to cars that pose a direct or immediate risk to road safety or the environment.
Major is another failure, and means the cars safety is affected, affecting the environment or puts other road users at risk.
Minor is less severe. It means there is no significant effect on safety, although, the fault must be repaired as soon as possible.
Pass means the car meets the current legal standards for maintenance and condition.
Car tax
DVLA car tax rates are increasing for the third time in three years in 2019. Vehicle exercise duty rates will increase in line with inflation this year.
In the Budget, it has been confirmed that, from 1 April 2019 VED rates for cars, vans, and motorcycles will increase in line with RPI (Retail Price Index).This could add between £5 and £65 on to the cost of your annual VED bill.
Smart motorways
This year there will be automatic enforcement of the red x by a camera, and it is already an offence to drive under a red x. Motorists can be fined £100 for ignoring the lane closure signified by the red x. Red X’s are used to signify that an emergency vehicle has access, or if a vehicle has broken down/had a collision and the lane needs to be closed for their safety.
Highway Code
The Highway Code is set to be altered to accommodate a new rule relating to passing cyclists. Under the new rules, there must be at least 1.5-metres (4ft 11 inches) between the driver and the cyclist when overtaking. Drivers that fail to leave sufficient space between themselves and the cyclist risk the chance of getting a £100 fine.
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