Mar '1702

New Driving Laws Set to Be Introduced in 2017

It seems the year 2017 did not come alone; it came with some new sets of driving laws.

And guess what: Some of these laws will hit most drivers in the pocket, especially those who are prone to using a mobile phone to speeding above the required limits while driving.

Below are some of the things you need to know about the new driving laws.


Road Tax

The new rule on road tax is set to make drivers pay more. From April 2017, drivers will pay their road tax based on their vehicle's emission levels and its price list.

If your car happens to be a zero emission vehicle, then you have no tax to pay. However, it gets a little bit complicated and more expensive for others who have cars that emit greenhouse gas.

This new rule will see some car owners pay as high as £2,000 in their first year and subsequently pay a flat rate of £140 per year.

For instance, if your vehicle has an emission of 131g/km, you will be taxed £200 instead of the current £130. And if your car has an emission of about 151g/km emission, you will be charged £500 instead of £180. Any car with 171g/km emission will be charged £800 instead of £295 while those with 191g/km will be charged £1200 instead of £490.


Driving Test

Another surprise is the driving test. Car owners will need to learn some new techniques of driving.  

Learners will now be asked to reverse out of a parking bay as reversing out of a corner is no longer part of the test.

Also, drivers will be tested based on their ability to use satellite navigation rather than using regular road signs.

The test duration will also be increased from 10 minutes to 20 minutes.


Using A Mobile Phone Behind The Wheels

We all know that making calls or chatting with our phones while driving comes with a lot of risks, and it’s even against the law. Despite this, some drivers still don’t care about the dangers of doing so.

The government wants to put an end to this by doubling the fine and penalty given to those found breaking the law. As from March 1, 2017, a fine of £200 and six points will be added to the license of the offenders.

Casualty Reduction Officer PC Simon Carlisle stated that those caught twice on this offence would appear in court and face a fine of about £1,000. Besides that, they would face a driving ban of up to six month.

New drivers would, however, have their license revoke after the first offence and must reapply for a provisional license. They would also be considered as a learner until they pass the test. This would mean a bill of £100 apart from the £200 penalty. Based on this, it is common sense that no one will want to get caught violating this new rule.


Over Speeding

From April 24, 2017, drivers who are caught over-speeding and taken to court will be fined 150 percent of their weekly income. This action is simply to improve road safety measures.

Anyone who exceeds 100mph on motorways or over-speeding in villages, towns, and cities will be fined too.

Not only that, drivers caught at 21mph more than the limits will fall under this sentence. The penalty could rise up to £1,000  and  £2,500 on roads and motorway respectively.


Child Seat

The new law concerning booster seats for children will take effect from March 1, 2017.

Under this rule, only children who measure more than 125cm and weigh more than 22kg will be able to travel in a car with a backless booster cushion.

A backless car seat offers little protection in the event of an accident. It removes any side and head protection from the child car seat. It also makes it harder to position the diagonal strap of the adult seatbelt.

However, the child must be 12 years old or either 135cm in height to be able to sit normally after which they must use of the seatbelt.


Sentence For Reckless Drivers

The Ministry of Justice is proposing to raise the penalty for any driver who kills someone while racing, speeding, or using a mobile phone to life imprisonment.

They are also suggesting a three-year sentence for whoever causes serious injury as a result of careless or dangerous driving.


In A Nutshell

these new rules have come to stay. Of course, you may not like some of them. Nobody does. But keep in mind that the government has made these new driving laws to protect your lives and others'. So drive safe and make sure you don't violate any of these driving rules, lest you suffer the consequences.

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