Motorists are being urged to familiarise themselves with new driving law changes introduced over the course of December as it could impact their finances.
As Britons prepare to celebrate the end of 2024 and usher in 2025, some motoring rules introduced in the final weeks of the year could influence their driving over the next 12 months.
To help motorists keep up to date with driving law changes every month, GB News has rounded up the most important rules you need to be aware of.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk
A number of driving law changes were introduced over the past month
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Car insurance
At the start of December, Labour unveiled surprise reforms to car insurance prices. The Government Actuary published the results of its review of the personal injury discount rate, which will change from -0.25 per cent to 0.5 per cent in England and Wales.
Analysis from PwC indicated that this could help motorists save around five per cent on their average motor insurance premium. This should represent an estimated £50 saving.
Commenting on the update, Mohammad Khan, head of general insurance at PwC UK, said it should bring “consistency” to car insurance prices across the UK after Scotland and Northern Ireland made the change in September.
He added: “This change is good news for drivers as it will further intensify the competitiveness of the motor insurance market. As for the insurance companies, they had expected a change of this scale and will already be pricing it into their pricing.”
It is hoped that the changes will lead to a £50 saving on car insurance premiums
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Electric vehicle targets
On Christmas Eve, the Government published a consultation to assess how the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate should operate going forward to ensure manufacturers are encouraged to sell electric vehicles.
The consultation will explore the design of “flexibilities” included in the ZEV mandate which allow manufacturers to miss targets by saving CO2 in other areas and moving sales deficits to other years.
It stated that the Government was “focused on how, not if, we reach the 2030 target” of banning the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, although certain plug-in hybrid models may be allowed until 2035.
Commenting on the new proposals, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “Employing 152,000 people and adding £19 billion to our economy, the UK’s automotive industry is a huge asset to our nation — and the transition to electric is an unprecedented opportunity to attract investment, harness British innovation, and deliver growth for generations to come.
“Yet over the last few years, our automotive industry has been stifled by a lack of certainty and direction. This Government will change that. Drivers are already embracing EVs faster than ever, with one in four new cars sold in November electric. Today’s measures will help us capitalise on the clean energy transition to support thousands of jobs, make the UK a clean energy superpower, and rebuild Britain.”
Manufacturers will need to have 28 per cent of total sales come from zero emission vehicles by the end of 2025
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Advisory fuel rates
On December 1, HM Revenue and Customs rolled out the new Advisory Fuel Rates for the next three months. These allow employees to be reimbursed for business travel in their company cars or when employees need to repay the cost of fuel used for private travel.
Petrol
Engines up to 1,400cc – Reduced to 12p
Between 1,401cc and 2,000cc – Reduced to 14p
Over 2,000cc – Reduced to 23p
Diesel
Engines up to 1,600cc – Reduced to 11p
Between 1,601cc and 2,000cc – Reduced to 13p
Over 2,000cc – Reduced to 17p
LPG
Engines up to 1,400cc – Remains at 11p
Between 1,401cc and 2,000cc – Remains at 13p
Over 2,000cc – Remains at 21p
Electric
All EVs – Remains at 7p
Hybrid vehicles are treated as either petrol or diesel cars for the sake of advisory fuel rates.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Further tachograph rule changes will be introduced next August
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HGVs
From December 31, 2024, a “full” smart tachograph 2 or “transitional” smart tachograph 2 must be retrofitted into in-scope vehicles with an analogue or digital tachograph undertaking international journeys.
If the vehicle is operating only within the UK, then the vehicle can still use the original digital or analogue tachograph that has been fitted.
