New UK driving laws you need to keep in mind

As well as providing reliable flexi car rental, and flexi van hire deals, we also make it our mission to keep you up-to-date with all the latest developments regarding the UK driving laws here at Intack Self Drive, so you’re less likely to end up with a fine that could have easily been avoided! So, whether you’re driving your own vehicle, or one you’ve rented through our hire services, here’s an update on the latest additions to the UK driving laws.

Fines further afield

You’ve probably noticed that this year has already been filled with numerous driving law changes, including new Highway Code rules and motoring fines. However, October is set to see a further increase in fines both in the UK and abroad. Okay, technically a couple of these laws only apply to UK drivers heading across to mainland Europe, but they’re still worth keeping in mind, particularly if you’re planning an Autumn excursion. So, if you’re going to be spending any time in France in the near future, it’s worth keeping in mind the potential fines starting this month, especially if you own an older petrol or diesel car. As of now, the Marseille police will be issuing fines to any 'Euro 2’ vehicles (vehicles registered between 1997 and 2000) due to their levels of pollution. What’s more, in France any electric vehicles (EVs) parked in front of a public charging station must be connected and charging, or the driver could risk a €58 (£52) fine. This is supposedly to stop people from parking in-front of charging stations unnecessarily. There is some positive news for Britons living in Spain though, as there’s rumoured to be progress regarding a reversal on the ban put in place which saw UK drivers stopped from using their UK driving licences on Spanish roads since May. As is stands, the UK Transport Minister is still negotiating an outcome with the authorities in Spain, but the general consensus seems to be that the ban will likely be getting overturned.

Domestic changes to driving laws

Back home, anyone living in London needs be mindful of the new, aptly titled “stealth laws” which were quietly introduced earlier this year, and have seen thousands of UK motorists receive fines already. The new speeding laws were not formally announced, and as a result, the number of fines dished out to speeding motorists has spiked by a reported 259%. Stealthy. It’s estimated that 347,000 drivers have received warnings that they would be prosecuted for speeding in the first six months of 2022, because of a tiny change to the speed limit tolerance threshold. As of now, the tolerance for speeding has been reduced to 10% plus 2mph, instead of the previous 10% plus 3mph, according to the RAC.

These rules are universal, so it doesn’t matter if you’re driving your own car, or if you’ve taken advantage of our fantastic car hire, van hire, or minibus hire deals, be sure to keep them in mind.

All of our rental vehicles here at Intack Self Drive come with the option to rent through daily hire, or our outstanding Flexi hire service, so wherever your intended destination, we’ll have a vehicle that suits your requirements. We’ve got almost half a century of car and minibus hire experience under our belt here at Intack Self Drive, and we’re always here to help. Ready to get started? You can browse the best hire deals right here on our site, or give us a call on 01254 57811!