After the turn of the New Year, new rules are to be brought into force for drivers across the United Kingdom to abide by - in a bid to improve road safety for all.
The new rules implemented by the DVLA also aim to reduce the carbon footprints of road users, following discussions about air pollution in the widespread community.
The regulations will clamp down on the use of mobile phones at the wheel, and new additions will also be added to the Highway Code in an effort to protect vulnerable people across the nation.
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Two cities across the UK are to see new Clean Air Zones, with the use of certain fuels to become restricted - HertsLive reports.
Find out which crucial changes are being made to driving and car regulations across the nation next year, with information rounded up by Auto Trader.
Using your mobile phone at the wheel
As it currently stands, texting or calling while driving is strictly prohibited, but the law will look to tighten mobile phone use further next year.
Playing games on your phone, taking photographs and videos at the wheel, and even changing songs on your wireless will land you in bother - even if stationary at a red light.
However, hands free is still allowed while using your phone for directions.
Disobeying the rules could land you with a £200 fine, as well as six points on your licence.
For context, if you were to receive six points within your first two years of driving, your licence would be revoked completely.
Changes to Highway Code
A trio of new regulations in Rule H1, H2 and H3 will come into play as of January 29, 2022.
These rules rank road users according to their risk in the event of a collision - with pedestrians - children and vulnerable people in particular - defined as most likely to be injured, with cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders following shortly behind.
Rule H1 states that drivers of large vehicles bear the most substantial responsibility to ensure road safety, followed by vans and minibuses, cars, taxis and motorcycles.
Cyclists, horse riders and horse drawn carriages also have a duty to reduce danger to pedestrians.
Rule H2 requires drivers to not only give way to pedestrians at zebra, light controlled or parallel crossings, but also at junctions where they are waiting to cross.
Rule H3 also requires drivers to allow cyclists priority when they are turning in or out of a junction - as well as changing direction or lane.
You can find out more information, here .
Red diesel and rebated biofuels to become illegal
Although red diesel is already illegal for vehicular use on public roads, it will also become restricted for off-road vehicles from April 1, 2022.
This means that machine users of bulldozers and cranes will have to find new fuels to power them.
This comes with hopes of promoting more sustainable fuels in the fight to reach the UK's 2050 climate targets.
New Clean Air Zones
Greater Manchester and Bradford will both respectively introduce their own Clean Air Zones
Manchester’s Clean Air Zone will come into play on May 30, 2022, with Bradford yet to announce its own date.
Compulsory built-in EV chargers
Every new home built next year across England will have a mandatory charging point installed, suitable for use by electric vehicles (EVs)
These rules are part of an effort to boost the use of electric transportation, as the 2030 ban on manufacturing diesel and petrol cars steadily approaches.
