Motorists should be aware of nine new driving laws that if broken could land you with a fine or points on your licence.
During the pandemic, several laws were updated and added.
However, motorists may have missed them due to the travel restrictions and limited road use during the three lockdowns.
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Changes include mobile phone use, 20mph speed limits and a number of green initiatives.
Alex Kindred, the company's car insurance expert said: “With lockdown restrictions now easing, more of us are returning to the roads, so it’s important that we are aware of updates to driving laws which have come into force in the past year.
“Although, with so much going on this past 18 months, it’s easy to miss these updates and it can be confusing getting back into the driving seat, especially if you haven't driven for a while. So we've collated all of the new and updated motoring laws in our guide, which could help you avoid fines and allow you to safely enjoy being back behind the wheel this summer.”
According to WalesOnline, here is the list of driving rules that have changed:
Stricter rules on smart motorways
Smart motorways have been hotly debated by safety campaigners over the last few years.
The concern centres around using the hard shoulder as a running lane. Using it in this way means there’s no dedicated space for drivers to pull into if there’s an emergency.
The Highways England announced changes to the Highway Code, making it illegal to drive in a lane marked with a red X.
Full list of smart motorways
- M1: J6a-10; J10-13; J16-13; J19-16;J23a-24; J24 - 25; J25-28; J28-31; J32-35a; J39-42; J31-32
- M3: J2-4a;
- M4: J3-12; J19-20
- M5: J4a-6; J15-17
- M6: J2 - 4; J4-5; J5-8; J8-10a; J10a-11a J10a-13; J13-15; J16-19
- M20: J3-5; J4-5; J5-7
- M23: J8-10
- M25: J2-3; J5-6/7; J7-10; J10-16; J16-23; J23-27; J27-30
- M27: 4-11
- M42: J3a-7; J7-9
- M60: J8-18
- M62: J10-12; J18-20; J25-26; J25-30; J28-29
The red X means a vehicle has broken down in the hard shoulder, so drivers shouldn’t drive here.
They also launched their ‘go left’ campaign, which contains guidance on what to do if you break down on a smart motorway.
For more information, read a guide on smart motorways.
Changes to green cards and travel to the EU
A green card is a way to prove your car is insured to drive abroad.
This has been a hotly debated topic. When the UK first left the EU, it was mandatory to have a green card to drive in the EU. This has now been scrapped, and UK residents don’t need a green card to travel to the EU.
The decision has been welcomed by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Huw Evans, the Director General of the ABI said: "This is excellent news. We have long campaigned for the UK to be part of the Green Card Free Circulation Zone so we warmly welcome the decision by the European Commission today.
“The Commission has taken a pragmatic approach on the matter. UK drivers will no longer need to apply for a green card through their insurer which will help reduce bureaucracy for drivers and road hauliers travelling between the UK and EU.
“It will be especially welcomed by motorists in Northern Ireland driving across the border to the Republic of Ireland.”
There are still documents you need to take though. If you're taking your own car and your trip is less than 12 months, you'll need to take your V5C logbook with you.
If it's a car you've hired or leased, you'll need to take VE103 form which proves you can take it out of the UK.
For more information on this visit GOV.UK.
Stricter penalties for mobile phone use
The government has closed a loophole that meant people could get away with taking photos or videos while driving.
So, in 2021, you could get a £200 fine and six points on your licence if you’re caught holding your phone or sat nav while you’re driving.
‘Holding’ also means scrolling through a playlist, playing a game or using social media.
Low Emission Zones postponed until 2021
Low Emission Zones are areas of a city that charge vehicles with high emissions to enter. They’re usually found in areas that have high levels of pollution.
Some Low Emission Zones were planned for 2020 but were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s the latest:
Birmingham’s Low Emission Zone is now active.
You can enter the zone with no charge if your vehicle is:
A moped or motorcycle
A diesel vehicle, minimum standard Euro 6
A petrol vehicle, minimum standard Euro 4
A vehicle with zero emissions (electric or hydrogen)
A low emissions vehicle.
From 25 October 2021 London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will extend to create a single, larger zone bounded by the North Circular Road (A406) and the South Circular Road (A205).
Bath’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) launched in March this year.
To get into Bath for free, diesel vehicles must be Euro 6 and petrol vehicles must be Euro 4 minimum.
Bristol’s CAZ is now live too. You’ll be charged around £9 to enter the zone if your diesel vehicle is Euro 5 or older or your petrol vehicle is Euro 3 or older.
Oxford’s Zero Emissions Zone will start this August.
E10 fuel proposed for this year
A new cleaner petrol known as E10 could be rolled out in 2021.
The fuel aims to reduce carbon emissions. It's estimated that using E10 is the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars off the road.
Almost all cars, 95% in fact, can use the new E10 fuel. But some vehicles made before 2011 could be affected. To check if your vehicle can use E10, use the GOV.UK vehicle checker tool.
Automatic Lane Keeping Systems approved
Automatic Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS) keep cars in lane automatically at low speeds. And for the first time, drivers will be able to delegate control of the vehicle.
Earlier this year, the government announced that ALK systems are an example of ‘self-driving' vehicle technology.
The Association of British Insurers has debated this, saying it could potentially be misleading for drivers.
By declaring the system as self-driving, drivers may feel they can switch off behind the wheel. When in fact, they still need to be able to regain control of the vehicle at any time.
The government says that the first cars with ALK technology could be on our roads by the end of this year.
Green number plates for cars with zero emissions
Electric or zero-emission car drivers will now have green number plates.
The idea behind the plates is to promote green vehicles by making them more visible.
Vehicles with these plates could access cheaper parking and free entry into Low Emission Zones.
The new plates will have a green stripe or flash on the left-hand side of the plate.
Speed limiters mandatory in new cars from 2022
Looking further ahead, in 2022, speed limiters will be mandatory in all new cars.
The speed limiter – known as an Intelligent Speed Assistant system (ISA) – alerts drivers if they’re going too fast. If the driver doesn’t slow their speed the car will intervene.
The limiter can be overridden in some circumstances, for example, if you’re overtaking.
