If you’re a man with a van, you know how much your livelihood depends on using your vehicle. That’s why it’s vital to be aware of the driving laws that might land you with a hefty fine if you break them. This list doesn’t contain just small offences or the big ones, it’s a list of laws that are easy to forget about!
1. Not renewing your photo card licence
You need to renew your photo card licence every 10 years, but only the super-organised have the exact date it runs out committed to memory! You risk coughing up a £1,000 fine if you drive with an expired photo card. And if you’re using one with an out-of-date address or name, you may also pick up a £1,000 fine. Maybe it’s time to give your photo card a quick check to make sure your details are up to date and to find its expiry date.
If you need to, you can renew your driving licence at gov.uk, you’ll need to pay £14, but that doesn’t seem too bad compared to a £1,000 fine…
2. Not taxing your vehicle
Ever since the government got rid of the tax disc, more people are forgetting to tax their vehicles. But you could still be fined up to £1,000 for forgetting to renew your tax.
You should be sent a reminder before your tax is due to expire. You can check the tax status of your vehicle using the DVLA’s Vehicle Enquiry System. You can also renew your tax online at gov.uk.
3. Not registering off-the-road vehicles
You don’t need to tax or insure a vehicle that you’re keeping off the road, however, you need to tell the DVLA that it’s not on the road. This is called a SORN (Statutory Off-Road Notification).
You could be fined £80 automatically for failing to tax a car and not declaring it’s off the road. If you declare your car off the road and then drive it (other than to or from an MOT or another testing appointment), you could be prosecuted and fined up to £2,500.
This is an easy fix and all you need to do is tell the DVLA that you’re taking your vehicle off the road. You can choose to start the SORN immediately or on the first day of next month.
4. Driving without an MOT certificate
The only time you can drive a vehicle without an MOT certificate is if you’ve booked an MOT and are driving it to the test centre (you can’t stop anywhere on the way!). You could be fined up to £1,000 for driving a vehicle with an expired MOT certificate. Not only that, if you crash, you’ll invalidate your insurance, not one you want to forget.
5. Not wearing a seatbelt
Did you know that if you’re in a crash, you’re twice as likely to die if you’re not wearing a seatbelt? This should be enough for drivers to put their seatbelts on automatically, but if it’s not, keep in mind there’s up to a £500 fine if you’re caught not wearing one. So make sure the apprentice has buckled up!
6. Driving Whilst Using a Mobile Phone
It’s not an easy one to forget as the Police and local governments are always cracking down on it! However, it is easy to break this law, here’s a reminder of the penalties… 6 points and a £200 fine and if you only passed your test within 2 years you’ll lose your licence completely!
7. Flashing… your lights.
Many of us will flash our lights to other motorists to let them go through, but you are not legally allowed to use your lights. Flashing your lights should only be used to warn other drivers of your presence. If you are caught flashing your headlights for any other reason, such as using them to warn others of a speed trap, you could face a minimum of a £30 fine!