The online vehicle retail platform AutoTrader has highlighted a number of changes to motoring laws coming into effect in 2024.
Whilst the rules of the road, as detailed in the Highway Code, change frequently, the company warned that motorists who are not aware of alterations could face significant fines.
Nimisha Jain, motoring expert at AutoTrader, started by stating that the DVSA could change the way it tests the eyesight of drivers from 2024, a move that could catch more learners out when they take their test.
She explained: “As part of the DVSA’s plan for 2024, the eyesight test during a driving test might see some changes. Currently, if you can read a number plate from 20 metres away, you pass the eyesight test.
“This method of testing your eyesight might change in the future. The DVSA is consulting a Medical Panel on how the testing procedure should look, as well as asking drivers and experts on better ways to conduct the test.”
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Whilst the DVSA has yet to confirm what changes will be made to the eyesight test, a staple feature on UK driving tests, many experts predict that it may test what the driver’s eyesight is like under different lighting conditions.
AutoTrader also noted that drivers of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) will face more stringent safety rules when driving in London from October 2024.
Transport for London (TfL) announced that HGV drivers will need a safety permit before entering the capital, which will feature a star rating based on the vehicle’s all-round visibility.
Nimisha also highlighted that 2024 could be a bad year for fuel prices, with the Government potentially ending the freeze on fuel duty.
She added: “Fuel duty has been frozen since January 2011 to prevent its rise with inflation. The basic rate on diesel and petrol has been 52.95 pence per litre (ppl) as per the Office for Budget Responsibility which includes the 5ppl cut the Government has granted until the end of March 2024 to help with the cost-of-living crisis.
“In Spring Budget 2024, we will find out more about what the Government plans to do with the fuel duty freeze and the 5ppl cut.”
Finally, Nimisha also suggested that 2024 could be the year that many more UK motorists get behind the wheel of an electric car, with a new regulation meaning manufacturers will face fines if they do not sell enough.
She continued: “From January 1 2024 onwards, car manufacturers will need at least 22 percent of their car sales and 10 percent of their van sales to be fully electric under the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate which aims at increasing the sale of electric vehicles to help reduce emissions.
“The Government plans to increase this percentage of electric vehicles sold over time so that by 2030, at least 80 percent of the cars sold are electric, and by 2035, all cars sold in the UK produce zero emissions to stay in line with their ban on the sale of diesel and petrol cars by 2035.”
