New UK driving laws in 2022 are around the corner. As technology advances, drivers and fleets have adapted to new and evolving rules and regulations to keep UK roads as safe as possible. In this article, we discuss just a few of the latest updates to arise in August.
Tougher bans on mobile devices
It is already illegal to use a mobile device to text or make a phone call when not in an emergency while driving. By 2022, laws will prevent drivers from using their phones to play games, browse playlists, take photos and film videos. Anyone caught using a handheld device while behind the wheel will face a hefty £200 fixed penalty notice and six points added to their licence.
Highway Code hierarchy
A new hierarchy of road users system will commence next year to protect vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and horse riders. This is especially important for fleets and larger vehicle drivers, who must be extra cautious of putting people at risk while on the road. If an accident were to occur, the driver of the larger vehicle would most likely be held responsible.
The new hierarchy in order:
- Pedestrians
- Cyclists
- Horse riders
- Motorcyclists
- Cars/taxis
- Vans/minibuses
- Large passenger vehicles/heavy goods vehicles
Additional council fines
Councils now have more power and authority to enforce £70 fines against motorists in the form of moving traffic offences. Local authorities will be able to punish drivers for factors such as driving in cyclist lanes or stopping in yellow box junctions.
Currently, many councils can only penalise parking and driving through bus lanes. The new law will allow almost 300 councils in England to apply for the right to issue these penalties that once were only issued by police. This will be the first time councils outside London and Cardiff have been allowed to issue such penalties.
Councils across England and Wales could also potentially gain the power to issue £70 fines to motorists that park on the pavement. It is already illegal to park on pavements in London, and Scotland is bringing the rule into fruition in 2023.
New builds to have compulsory built-in EV chargers
By 2022, all new houses and commercial properties built in the UK will require an EV charging point. The latest regulation hopes to encourage an increase in electric vehicle ownership ahead of the expected ban of new petrol and diesel vehicles in 2030.
This could potentially create up to 145,000 additional charging points each year if the regulation goes ahead, and even new build supermarkets will have the ability to offer electric vehicle charging while customers shop.
Vehicle Excise Duty increase
VED, also known as road tax, is predicted to increase next April as inflation continues to rise, pending government announcement. As expected, the amount of tax a driver will pay is likely to depend on the car’s CO2 emissions.
Those who currently pay nothing for zero grams per kilometre of CO2 are expected to continue to do so, while diesel and petrol-powered drivers, including hybrids, that use 1g and 50g per kilometre will pay £10 for the first 12 months.
The more CO2 a car emits per kilometre, the more drivers can expect to pay next year. This will especially affect larger vehicles with higher CO2 emissions.
Speed limiters in new cars
All future cars will have speed limiters fitted after the latest safety regulation in July 2022 to enhance road safety. Intelligence Speed Assistance (ISA) black boxes will utilise GPS to calculate speed limits and ensure the car remains at that speed.
ISA systems are now mandatory for new models given type approval and any new car brought to market from that date will be included.
Smart motorways – 5 year delay expected
Some smart motorways have already progressed in some areas. The Department for Transport is investing £900 million into improving motorway safety, with £390 million put towards 150 additional emergency areas for motorists needing to stop. However, the government is currently pausing smart motorways for the next five years for a full safety review to give the Department of Transport the time to collect in-depth data on the safety behind smart motorways.
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