As 2022 comes to a close, motorists will be awaiting the anticipated changes to laws and regulations on the road in 2023.
This year, the Highway Code was updated to give cyclists and horse riders more room on the road, reports the Daily Record. Another change was made to mobile phone restrictions, to make sure people are keeping their eyes on the road and not their devices.
In 2023, a number of new rules will be introduced that drivers will need to be aware of. While some regulations could be set throughout the year, there are a number of changes that we already know about.
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Read on below to find out about a few of the upcoming changes to road rules that drivers will need to keep in mind going into the New Year.
New driving rules and regulations for 2023
Fuel duty rate
The fuel duty rate is set to change in March 2023. Fuel duty rates were reduced by five pence per litre for 12 months, but the "temporary" cut is due to end on March 23, 2023.
The Treasury insisted no decision had been made however the Office for Budget Responsibility suggested it could rise by 12 pence.
New licence plate
From March next year, you may be able to spot a '23' registration plate number on the roads. By September, new cars will be registered under the '73' plates instead.
Pavement parking ban
Scotland is set to ban drivers from parking on dropped kerbs and pavements, in a bid to improve accessibility on paths.
The changes were agreed in 2019 but were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and campaigners have been pressing for implementation to begin as soon as possible.
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Heavy goods vehicles levy payment
From August next year, all heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) that weigh over 12 tonnes will have to pay a levy to cover for damage done to the roads they drive on.
The measure, originally imposed in 2014, had been suspended during the pandemic.
The 2022 rules that you may be unaware of
Several new laws and rules were announced or came into force in 2022, but some are little-known by drivers. They include the following:
Speed limiters
New cars built this year will be supplied with a speed limiter. However, this will not override the motorist's responsibility to drive within the speed limit.
Mobile phone use
Drivers have been instructed that they should never hold and use a phone, tablet or sat-nav for any reason at all while driving, or riding a motorcycle. This also includes being stationary at traffic lights or in a queue.
The exceptions to this rule include:
when calling 999
when safely parked
when using a phone to pay while in a drive-thru queue
Electric car tax
Electric car owners will no longer be exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty in the UK. The change will take place in April 2025 - after half of all new vehicles are forecasted to be electric.
Benefit in kind
For cars using petrol, the BiK rate has risen from 13 percent to 25 percent since 2013.
The Government has announced the rate will now stay at the same level until 2025, as it hopes that more employees will switch to electric cars.
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