Gearing up for change
THE NEW RULES OF THE ROAD
THE RULES of the road have changed during the pandemic, as the Government eased deadlines on MOT tests or renewing out-of-date driving licences to make life easier in the lockdown.
This helped limit the backlog at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) but has also caused uncertainty as motorists fear their documentation is out of date and could land them in trouble.
Lee Griffin, founder of Gocompare Car Insurance, said as the DVLA gets back into gear, some key dates and temporary arrangements are set to change. “You need to keep on top of the changes and understand your responsibilities.”
At the start of the pandemic, the DVLA announced an automatic extension for renewing out-of-date photocard driving licences, and has recently extended this deadline.
Drivers whose licence expires between February 1 and December 31, 2020, will receive an automatic 11-month extension. If this applies, you do not need to renew your licence until you receive a reminder.
The same extension applies to drivers aged 70 and over who need to renew their entitlement to drive, which is typically done every three years.
Driving tests were also suspended for
several months, and to clear the backlog the Driving Standards Agency will add more than 395,000 new test slots, running from tomorrow to January 31, 2021.
All cars over three years old need a new MOT certificate every year or there’s a risk of a fine of up to £1,000, but motorists were handed an automatic six-month extension due to the pandemic (although they could still be prosecuted for driving a car that is not roadworthy).
Temporary Exemption Certificates applied to cars whose MOT expired between March 30 and July 31, but the scheme was ended early amid fears of more than a million unsafe cars on the roads.
Normal testing rules now apply for anybody whose MOT expired after
August 1. The DVLA is issuing reminder notices to drivers as their cars approach their test due date.
Insurance companies also offered support to customers, saying that key workers and people helping out by transporting medicines or groceries did not need to update policy documents to reflect any change in usage. This runs until October 31.
The Financial Conduct Authority insisted that insurers help customers struggling to paying general insurance premiums, including car insurance, during the Covid-19 crisis.
Measures include payment deferrals of up to three months, and waiving fees for cancellation or other policy amendments, such as reducing annual mileage if driving less in the lockdown. These have also been extended to October 31.
Griffin said if you are worried about paying for car insurance you should ask if your insurer will reduce or defer your premiums. “There should be no admin charge if, say, you lower your stated annual mileage to reduce your premium, or remove any add-on.”
James Blackham, chief executive of pay-as-you-drive insurer By Miles, said car insurance claims fell by almost half during lockdown but insurers are failing to pass on the savings in full. “If you’re driving less, you should pay less.”
One in five motorists automatically renew their car insurance policy each year. However shopping around for something cheaper could save you more than £200.