Four new changes to UK driving rules under ‘biggest shake-up since 2006' – and how YOU can be punished for breaking them
The major shake up looks set to come into effect in Autumn 2025 as part of a new road safety strategy.
5
5
5
5
5
According to The Times, these proposed changes reflect stricter measures to improve road safety and introduce tougher penalties for rule violations, which will include a reduction of the drink-drive limit and older drivers being required to take mandatory eye tests.
These amendments, set to be introduced to help tackle persistent safety issues on UK roads and reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries, have been put forward by UK Government ministers and led by the Department for Transport (DfT).
They represent the biggest reform to driving laws since the Road Safety Act of 2006 - a major piece of legislation which aimed to improve road safety in the UK.
Lower drink-drive limit
The drink-drive limit in England and Wales may be reduced from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms - making it easier to be penalised for driving after consuming even small amounts of alcohol.
This figure would be in line with Scotland and the rest of Europe, where no other country has a limit as high as that in England and Wales.
This lower threshold may mean that just one drink puts someone over the limit.
Additionally, the Government plans to simplify drug-driving prosecutions by allowing police to use roadside saliva tests as evidence, rather than blood tests.
Simon Williams, RAC head of policy, has urged more needs to be done to tackle drink-driving, adding: 'Data for Scotland suggests merely reducing the legal drink-drive limit isn't enough.
'A significant number of drink-drive offences are committed by reoffenders, so tackling the risk associated with habitual drink-drivers is crucial.'
Being caught drink-driving in the UK carries hefty penalties, which includes a potential six-month prison sentence, an unlimited fine and a minimum driving ban of one year.
Watch Tesla test self-driving cars on London streets as it passes famous landmarks
The severity of the punishment depends on the level of alcohol in the driver's system and any other factors, such as causing a collision.
Drug-driving convictions also result in a minimum one-year driving ban, an unlimited fine, up to six months in prison and a criminal record.
Other consequences can include higher car insurance costs, potential issues with employers seeing the conviction on a licence and difficulties in travelling to certain countries, such as the US.
Older driver safety
Proposed changes may also affect older drivers, with a focus on ensuring that drivers over the age of 70 are fit to drive.
This may include drivers over 70 being required to undergo compulsory eye tests every three years when renewing their licence, with an aim to detect visual impairments that could affect driving ability.
Currently, the UK relies on self-reporting of visual conditions - making it one of only three European countries to do so.
These new measures would align the UK with stricter standards seen elsewhere.
It may also see medical tests introduced for conditions that may impair driving, such as dementia or other age-related illnesses.
These come in as the number of drivers over 60 involved in crashes resulting in fatalities or serious injuries has increased by 47% since 2010 - highlighting the need for stricter checks.
Older drivers who fail the mandatory eye test or medical assessments would be banned from driving and could result in criminal proceedings if they're caught behind the wheel after failing these tests.
Tougher penalties for uninsured drivers
Changes may also be made to tackle uninsured driving, with more focus on increasing penalties and improving enforcement to address the ongoing issue.
The current penalty for driving without insurance - a £300 fixed fine and six licence points - is now expected to be raised under the new proposals, which could include uninsured drivers facing unlimited fines and possible disqualification from driving if a case goes to court.
Measures are also being considered to combat vehicles with so-called "ghost plates" - number plates that evade detection by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.
Seatbelt non-compliance
Finally, the Government is also considering stricter penalties for those caught not wearing a seatbelt - with drivers receiving fines and even licence points as punishment.
Currently, drivers face a £100 on-the-spot fine for not wearing a seatbelt, which can rise to £500 if taken to court.
These offences, though, do not currently result in penalty points on a driving licence.
Under the possible changes, drivers would now face penalty points if passengers are not wearing seatbelts, marking a significant shift from the current fine-only system.
This aims to address rising fatalities - with 25% of road deaths involving individuals not wearing seatbelts and 40% of these fatalities being back-seat passengers.
Motorists are already legally responsible for ensuring passengers under 14 are properly restrained, with these tougher penalties simply adding further accountability.
What was the 2006 Road Safety Act?
The Road Safety Act 2006 introduced a number of significant measures to improve UK road safety.
These included new offences such as causing death by careless driving or while uninsured, increased penalties for drink-driving and speeding, provisions for penalising foreign drivers and stricter rules for vehicle registration and private hire vehicles.
It also enhanced driver training and testing standards. As part of the "Tomorrow's Roads – safer for everyone" strategy, the Act aimed to reduce road deaths and injuries, marking one of the most important reforms in road safety laws at the time.
Notably, it also targeted mobile phone use while driving, introducing tougher penalties for using hand-held devices behind the wheel.
Drivers caught could face fines, licence endorsements and even disqualification for repeated offences.
This was part of broader efforts to reduce distractions and improve road safety, alongside measures addressing drink-driving, speeding and other dangerous behaviours.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Ten million drivers suffer pothole damage in past three years with huge amount delaying repairs
TEN million motorists have suffered pothole damage to vehicles in the past three years, a poll found. And 2.4 million have skipped or delayed getting it fixed. 1 The average bill for repairs is £144 — putting the total UK cost at up to £1.7billion a year. While road craters cause the biggest unexpected repair bill, the survey of 2,000 motorists also revealed that more than five million are driving potentially unsafe vehicles because they cannot afford to fix all other issues as well. Of 2,000 drivers polled, 15 per cent had ignored vehicle warning lights and mechanics and often try to do repairs themselves to save cash. Across all 34.6 million motorists, that would mean 5.1 million ignored advice. But 37 per cent said delaying fixing damage cost them more in the long run. ClickMechanic also found men are more likely than women to ignore an MOT advisory — 16 per cent compared with 12 per cent of women. The car service site's boss Andrew Jervis said: 'Millions of potentially unsafe vehicles are likely on the roads. "It is not worth the risk — ignoring what may initially be minor makes repairs more expensive to resolve.'
BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
Christchurch wins e-scooter trial after six-year wait
A town has been included in an e-scooter trial scheme after a six-year in Dorset initially received electric bicycles but not scooters under a 2019 agreement covering the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council Beryl previously said Bournemouth and Poole were chosen as good scooter test areas by the council and Department for Transport (DfT) because of their hilly terrain.E-bikes and e-scooters will be available for instant hire across the council area until 2028. BCP Council said demand for the vehicles had "far exceeded expectations".The authority is one of more than 50 areas to have conducted scooter trials to help DfT assess whether to legalise their use on public in Dorset, Beryl e-scooters are also available in Weymouth, Portland and the company's e-bike hire scheme in Wimborne, Colehill, West Parley, West Moors and Ferndown came to an end in February, six months after launch, due to low Berkhauer, operations manager with Christchurch Business Improvement District, said: "The more visitors that can be encouraged to use these convenient and accessible forms of travelling to our town centre, the better."Riders can unlock and rent a scooter through the Beryl app and must hold a valid provisional or full UK driving licence, which will be verified before the scooter is hired. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Telegraph
Labour drops plans to restrict LTNs in ‘secret war on motorists'
Labour has renewed its ' war on motorists ' by dropping plans to limit new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and 20mph zones. Ministers have quietly ditched reforms that would have curbed council powers to restrict traffic and levy 'unfair' fines and parking charges. The Conservatives, which drew up the changes, branded the move 'a kick in the teeth to motorists' and warned it would hit struggling high streets. But Labour ministers dismissed the proposals as 'speculative suggestions' and said they 'would have made no positive difference for drivers'. Sir Keir Starmer has been repeatedly accused of pursuing heavy-handed policies against motorists, most notably in London and Wales. In the latest example, Labour-run Southwark council on Sunday was forced to admit it illegally fined thousands of people for driving in bus lanes. Richard Holden, the shadow transport secretary, said scrapping the Tory plans represented a 'secret war on drivers' that was not in Labour's manifesto. 'Labour has been caught red handed as it steps up its targeted war on motorists,' he said. 'Conservatives led the charge against unfair and over-zealous enforcement but our work has been ripped up in underhand attacks without any public consultation or manifesto pledge. 'This is a kick in the teeth to motorists, set to punish beleaguered local high streets and will slam the brakes on the economy even more than Rachel Reeves has done so far.' Rishi Sunak announced a 'Plan for Drivers' in October 2023, which would have made it harder for local councils to introduce anti-car schemes. It included draft guidance on the introduction of LTNs, which would have forced councils to focus more on the views of local residents and businesses. As a 'minimum' authorities would have had to hold a series of public meetings with residents and to leaflet every household in the affected area. The changes were planned over concerns councils have been railroading through LTNs on the back of support by green and pro-cycling groups. Ministers have now confirmed that the draft guidance, which was not formalised in time for last year's general election, has been effectively shelved. Lilian Greenwood, the roads minister, said that as a result, work had been 'put on hold and the Government is now considering appropriate next steps'. 'As has always been the case, local authorities are responsible for managing their roads and are accountable to their communities,' she said. Lord Hendy, a transport minister, also suggested that the Government does not plan to change the current guidance in force on LTNs. 'Traffic management measures such as low traffic neighbourhoods are a matter for local authorities as they know their areas best,' he said. The last Tory government had planned a series of pro-driver reforms, including new guidance to 'prevent inappropriate blanket use of 20mph zones'. The Tories sought to roll out more pro-driver policies in the wake of the Labour administration in Wales controversially enforcing a default 20mph zone across all formerly 30mph areas in 2023. Following a huge outcry the Senedd is now reviewing the policy, with the architect of the scheme admitting 'more common sense' should have been deployed. Ms Greenwood said the Government has 'no current plans' to review the guidance around the setting of 20mph speed limits in England. 'We believe that traffic authorities are best placed to decide where lower limits will be effective on the roads for which they are responsible, and that consultation and community support should be at the heart of the process,' she added. Other planned Tory measures that would have limited the use of '15-minute cities' have also been ditched. Under those measures, Conservative ministers would have revoked council's access to DVLA data, which they use to enforce traffic filters. The 15-minute city concept were designed so residents could access all basic services within a quarter of an hour walk or bike ride from home. It has become controversial with some on the Right who see the car as pivotal to freedom and attempts to curb driving as the spread of state control. 'No positive difference' Mr Sunak also pledged to reduce 'unfair' traffic fines, such as yellow box penalties, including by restricting councils' ability to raise revenue from them. Under the measures new guidance would have been brought forward giving residents the formal right to challenge their council's parking policies. Labour ministers confirmed that all three proposals had been dropped. 'Those policies in 'The Plan for Drivers' that would have made no positive difference for drivers have been discontinued,' Ms Greenwood said. Mr Holden said that Sir Sadiq Khan would be 'licking his lips now he has been given the green light to hammer drivers even more'. The Mayor of London has overseen a rapid expansion of LTNs in the capital and the introduction of blanket 20mph limits across the city. The Department for Transport was approached for comment.
