Highway Code 2022: 14 law and rule changes coming into force today for motorists including smart motorway delays and highway code update

The new rules will significantly change the way that motorists behave on the road.

Drivers will need to be clued up on the changes, which include new rules on mobile phone usage and the new hierarchy of responsibility.

Here is everything you need to know to ensure that you are driving safely in 2022:

Highway Code changes

Pedestrians and cyclists will now have priority on the roads under the new Highway Code changes.

The changes are a part of a £338m package to improve infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

The changes include:

Hierarchy of road users

This will prioritise at-risk road users such as pedestrians and cyclists

Guidance on passing cyclists safely

This will include safe passing speed and distances. Cyclists will now also have priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead.

Pedestrian Priority

Improving priority on pavements for pedestrians when crossing or waiting to cross the road.

Local councils to enforce minor traffic offences instead of police

Motorists may now be fined up to £70 by their local council for minor motoring offences.

These can include stopping in a yellow cross hatching or driving in cycle lanes.

Councils will be able to apply to issue penalty charges in England and Wales whereas before, police were responsible for issuing the fines.

Tougher rules on mobile phone usage in vehicles

The government is making changes to the rules on mobile phone usage on the roads.

In 2021, drivers could only be penalised for communicating on their phone behind the wheel by either using their devices to call or text.

The new rule will penalise drivers for touching their phones while driving.

This includes taking pictures, scrolling through playlists, or playing games.

Drivers could receive a £200 fine and six points on their licence if they are caught.

The exceptions for this rule include using mobiles as a sat nav in a secured mobile phone holder and using phones to make contactless payments at drive-thrus and toll roads.

It is important to note that with sat nav usage, drivers will need to pull over and stop where it is safe to adjust their route.

Motorists banned from parking on pavements

Local councils could have the power to issue fines for those who park their vehicles on pavements.

The new rule could mean that councils will be able to issue £70 fines to drivers who do not abide by the rule.

In London and other parts of the UK, it is already illegal to park on the pavement.

The government is still in talks about the parking ban, but reports say that the changes could be implemented at some time this year.

Speed limiters on new cars

Speed limiters will be mandatory on all new cars from July 6, 2022.

The limiters- also known as Intelligent Speed Assistant system (ISA)- alert drivers if they are speeding and if the driver doesn't slow down, the car will intervene.

Drivers can override the speed limiter circumstances if they are overtaking.

It has not yet been confirmed whether older vehicles will need a speed limiter.

Drug users to be stripped of driving licences.

The prime minister announced last month that passports and driving licences could be removed from illegal drug users.

Boris Johnson stated: 'We need to look at new ways of penalising them. Things that will actually interfere with their lives.

So we will look at taking away their passports and driving licences. We’re keeping nothing off the table.’

Harsher sentences could also be introduced for offenders as part of a 10-year plan to tackle drug-related crime.

Delays on new smart motorways

Smart motorways will be delayed for five years as the government performs a full safety review.

The pause will give the Department of Transport and the government time to collect data on the safety of the motorways.

Some motorways across the UK have already been built and the Department of Transport is investing £900m into improving safety on the roads.

£390m is set to go towards emergency areas which will give motorists a place to stop if need be,

Clean Air Zones

While a Clean Air Zone has already been implemented in Portsmouth, many other cities across the UK will launch the low emission zones this year.

The areas charge high-emission vehicles to enter them with an aim to reduce public exposure to nitrogen dioxide.

Manchester is set to launch its zone on May 30, 2022, with Bradford and Oxford to implement their zones this year.

The low-emission zones target buses or taxis, while others also target private vehicles.

The oldest and most polluting vehicles are charged.

The Clean Air Zone in Portsmouth applies to non-compliant taxis and private hire vehicles with a charge of £10 a day, while non-compliant HGVs, buses, and coaches are charged £50 per day.

Electric car grant cut

With the 2050 net zero emissions target and the 2030 petrol and diesel car ban approaching, there is now more pressure for drivers to make the switch to an electric vehicle.

Electric vehicles can easily cost over £20,000 and the government introduced an electric car grant to make the cars more affordable.

This grant has now been cut from £2,500 to £1,000 and will only be available for vehicles priced up to £32,000.

Previously, drivers were able to apply for the grant for vehicles worth up to £35,000.

Self-driving cars on UK roads

Self-driving cars will be able to drive on UK roads by spring 2022.

Automatic Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS) use technology to keep cars in lane automatically at a low speed.

The Association of British Insurers has argued that by labelling the cars as 'self-driving', drivers may switch off behind the wheel.

Drivers will still need to be able to regain control of the vehicle at any time when behind the wheel.

Nurses to declare whether a motorist is fit to drive

Nurses could be able to conduct medical questionnaires to see whether an individual is fit to drive.

Previously, doctors were the only ones who could conduct the questionnaire.

The change is currently being considered by the government as it could speed up driving license renewal applications and decrease the workload for doctors.

Vehicle towing changes

The vehicle towing changes came into effect last month.

The changes state that if you passed your test on or after January 1997, you will not have to take an additional test to tow a trailer up to 3,5000 kg maximum authorised mass.

3,5000kg is the maximum weight a trailer can hold, including its own weight.

This rule change could result in 30,000 more HGV driver tests to help tackle the driver shortage across the country.

Ban on rebated biofuel and red diesel.

The government will restrict the usage of red diesel and biofuel in some vehicles to help the UK reach its climate target on April 1, 2022.

The diesel ban will mainly affect businesses rather than individual drivers as typically, the fuel is used for agricultural machinery such as ploughs or tractors.

The change could result in businesses using cleaner fuels to power their vehicles.

SEE ALSO: Winter driving laws motorists might not realise they are breaking

Electric vehicle charging points to be fitted in new homes by law

Many drivers have decided against switching to an electric vehicle due to not having an electric charging point.

This year, the government will implement a new law that will state that all new builds in England will need to have EV charging points.

The charging points will be installed in new-build homes, new supermarkets, and other buildings that are facing major renovations.

The scheme could produce up to 145,000 extra charging points each year according to the government.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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