Updates to driving laws that UK drivers need to be aware of

Here at Tanksafe, our main concern has always been to ensure that you and your fleet are completely protected against fuel theft. Our aim is to give you the peace of mind that your vehicle (or vehicles!) is fully protected from fuel thieves. Om the subject of peace of mind, we’ve collated a few of the latest changes which have recently been added to the roster of UK driving laws, so you can travel safe in the knowledge that you’re not going to be met with any penalties! 

Stealthy speed changes 

If you’re a London resident, or someone who frequents the capital often for business or leisure, you might already be aware of the new “stealth laws” that were introduced earlier this year. These new speeding laws got their sneaky moniker because they were introduced without any kind of formal announcement, and the amount of speeding fines handed out to motorists has shot up 259% as a direct result. 

What does these new laws entail? On paper it’s a fairly minor change to the speed limit tolerance threshold - the tolerance for speeding has been reduced to 10% plus 2mph, instead of the previous 10% plus 3mph, according to the RAC. It might not seem like much, but it’s estimated that around 347,000 UK drivers have received warnings that they would be prosecuted for speeding so far this year, thanks to the change. 

Changes across the English Channel 

Okay we’ll hold our hands up, these changes aren’t specifically attached to UK driving law, however they’re worth knowing if you run a commercial business that deals overseas in mainland Europe.

For instance, if you’re heading over to France anytime soon, you might be glad to learn that as of last month, the Marseille police have started issuing fines to any 'Euro 2’ vehicles (vehicles registered between 1997 and 2000) due to their levels of pollution. So, if you’re operating any vehicles that are over 20 years old, it’s probably best to avoid Marseille! 

As well as this, any electric vehicles (EVs) parked in front of a public charging stations in France, must be connected and charging, or the driver could risk a €58 (£52) fine. It’s reported that these new laws have been put in place to stop people from parking in charging stations when they don’t need to – essentially using them as free parking spaces rather than for their intended function. 

There is however some positive news for Brits living in Spain, as there’s rumoured to be progress on reversing the ban that’s seen UK drivers stopped from using their driving licences on Spanish roads. The ban has been in place since May, but the UK Transport Minister is hopeful that his negotiations with the Spanish authorities will result in the ban being overturned. 

So, whether you’re staying here in the UK, or heading over to Europe to conduct business (or simply going on holiday!), these rules are definitely worth keeping in mind if you hope to avoid a stealthy fine! It’s also worth keeping in mind that fuel theft is also a risk wherever you are, and there’s only one way to fully protect yourself against the dangers it poses. 

Here at TankSafe, we’ve got over 40 years of experience developing a variety of solutions to help our customers tackle the problem of fuel theft. One of our most sophisticated offerings is TankSafe Optimum, which guarantees to protect your fleet against 100% of fuel theft. TankSafe Optimum is an antisiphon device which we’ve specifically designed to provide 100% protection against fuel spills, overfilling, and skimming. 

You can find out more on its dedicated page on our website, or find out answers to some of the most common questions over on our FAQs page. If you’ve still got queries, our experts will be happy to resolve them - fee free to give us a quick call on 01253 400 401, and we’ll be happy to help however we can!

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Skimming - the invisible enemy