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Paul Loughlin
 

Changes to the HGV levy shift focus towards environmental impact

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The Department for Transport (DfT) recently reintroduced the HGV levy following a temporary suspension during the Covid-19 pandemic. The levy, first introduced back in 2014, is aimed at making sure lorries make a contribution towards the wear and tear of...

DR10, DR20 and DR30 endorsement codes explained

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The police, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and other organisations use endorsement codes to classify certain driving offences. What is a DR10? A DR10 relates to the offence of driving, or attempting to drive,...

Drug driving conviction codes

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Drug driving is a serious offence and the police, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), and other organisations, use what is known as endorsement codes to classify offences. All the codes explained here on this page are related to drug driving...

Wales set to introduce 20mph speed limit change

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From 17th September, motorists in Wales will be required to limit their speed to 20mph in built-up areas. The change follows a vote in the Welsh Senedd back in July 2022, to make Wales the first nation in the UK to adopt 20mph as the default speed limit...

Why your choice of sunglasses could result in penalty points and a fine

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As the UK basks in some late summer sun many of us will be getting behind the wheel with a pair of sunglasses close to hand. However, as the nights begin to draw in, and autumn months see the sun drop lower in the sky, most people are unaware that the wrong...

DVLA updates its list of eye conditions you must declare

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The Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) has recently updated its list of eye conditions that car and motorbike drivers must declare. The guidance states that motorists must inform the DVLA of certain eye conditions affecting both eyes, or one eye...

Sentencing guidelines for speeding offences

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Speed limits are in place to keep you, other road users and pedestrians as safe as possible and should always be adhered to. However, thousands of people receive speeding fines each year with the fines and penalty points varying depending on how much over...

How do the police test for drug driving and how long do they have to prosecute?

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The consequences for a conviction for drug driving are serious. If you’re convicted, you face a minimum one-year driving ban, an unlimited fine, up to six months in prison and a criminal record. Your driving licence will also show that you have been...

Speed limit in built up areas to be reduced to 20mph

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Changes to the speed limit in urban areas have long been under review and their introduction in Wales could point to their gradual introduction across the UK as a whole. There is a concerted effort from safety campaigners, political parties and even car...

Dangerous driving could now lead to a life sentence

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The consequences of dangerous and careless driving are often profound. Just one moment of madness behind the wheel can inflict a lifetime of harm and suffering. Until now, where injury was caused (irrelevant of the extent of that injury) as a result...

Calorie labelling rules - does my business need to comply?

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From the 6th April 2022, food service companies employing 250 people or more will need to display kilocalories (KCAL) details on food and soft drink . This includes cafes, restaurants and takeaways, caterers and franchises in relation to non pre-packed...

Stricter laws for using a mobile phone while driving come into force this week: what are the changes and what does this mean for you?

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Motorists are being warned ahead of new laws around using your mobile phone while behind the wheel coming into force this week. From Friday (25 th March) the new stricter laws will mean drivers cannot use a hand-held device while behind the wheel for...

Highway Code rule changes

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There is no doubt that better protection for more vulnerable road users has been long overdue and the changes in the Highway Code will go some way to close that gap. There has been much debate since the announcement of these rule changes as to whether they...

Ban on using hand-held devices when driving

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The announcement that UK drivers will be banned from filming or searching for playlists on hand-held devices from next year will be welcome news for many and goes some way towards making our roads a safer place for all road users. This offence has...

Can I be prosecuted for the contamination of land?

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Land is contaminated when there are polluting substances in, on or under the land. This may mean that the substances have been left in buildings or on land or that the substances are buried in the ground. Every local authority has a duty under Part 2A of...

The evolution of mobile phones and the impact on our roads

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The use of mobile phones in vehicles has long been under the spotlight. It has been illegal to use a mobile phone whilst driving since 2003. We have seen penalties gradually increase since the introduction of the offence in 2003 when penalties were...

Reports of serious speeding offences during lockdown

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As the roads are quieter with less people travelling to work and following government advice to stay home, it would be reasonable to expect a significant fall in the number of speeding offences . Looking at previous annual figures they still remain at...

DR40, DR50, DR60 and DR70 offence codes explained

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The police, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), and other organisations, use offence codes, also known as endorsement codes, to classify offences. DR40, DR50, DR60 and DR70 are all codes related to drink driving offences. ...

Black box insurance - what happens if I exceed the mileage?

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Young drivers and those who have only recently passed their driving test are typically faced with expensive quotes when shopping for their car insurance. Black box or ‘telematics’ insurance is a great alternative for these individuals. Black...

The new driving laws coming into force in 2019

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If you are a driver there are several new driving laws due to come into force this year that you need to know about. There are 48 million drivers on our roads and these new laws will affect everyone from the most experienced drivers to those who have only...

'Disorganisation' results in unlawful £96,000 fine for Premier League footballer

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Hefty financial penalties imposed for criminal motoring offences committed by high profile individuals are becoming regular news topics. We are now seeing what appear to be extraordinary fines being imposed on those affluent ‘celebrities’ to...

Don't be caught out by ageing tyres

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Debate surrounding imposing a legal age limit to tyres used on coaches and buses is rumbling on, some four years after a company had its PSV (public service vehicle) operator licence revoked by the Traffic Commissioner following the death of three...

New sentencing rules to give an alternative approach for the courts

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It might have been picked up on most people’s radars in the last few weeks that the Sentencing Council has revised the sentencing guidelines for speeding meaning motorists convicted of serious speeding offences are set to face harsher penalties....