Driving in the UK

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Driving in the UK

The minimum age to drive a car in the UK is 17 years. Drivers must have a valid driving licence. The minimum age to ride scooters or motor bikes varies depending on a bike's size, beginning at age 16 for mopeds.

The Highway Code, published by the Government's Department for Transport, sets out all the rules and regulations for car drivers, cyclists and pedestrians in the UK.

• To read the Highway Code online: Click here

Rules and Regulations

• Drive on the left in the UK
• Seat belts must be worn at all times by the driver and all passengers
• Third party insurance is obligatory
• All vehicles must be taxed and a tax disc should be displayed in the windscreen
• Children up to 135cm or the age of 12 must travel with the correct child restraint for their weight and size
  • For information on child car seats in the UK: Click here
• Mobile cellular telephones may not be used while driving except with a "handsfree" system
  • See the Directgov website for information on mobile phones and driving: Click here
• Motorists must always overtake on the outside or right lane
• When approaching a roundabout/traffic circle, give priority to traffic approaching from the right, unless otherwise indicated
• Motorists must always stop at a red traffic light
• Motorists must not drive over 30mph in built-up areas
• All traffic signals and road signs must be obeyed
• All vehicles must give way to emergency services vehicles
• The use of a car horn is not permitted in built-up areas from 23:30-07:00
• It is illegal to drive in bus lanes during restricted hours. See signs by the side of the road for times

On The Road

Types of Roads

There are nearly 400,000 Km of road in Great Britain. The roads are divided up between major and minor roads. These include:

• A-roads, or trunk roads: These are major roads that run the length and breadth of England, Wales and Scotland. They all commence with A and are then numbered according to their locality. The A1 heads north out of London for example. A-roads are paid for and managed by the Government. They can be single or dual carriageways
• B-roads: These are minor roads that are managed by the local authorities. They all commence with a B and are numbered according to their locality
• Motorways: All motorways begin with the letter M

For more information on British motorways and the road network, see the government's Highways Agency website, which includes a journey planner and live traffic reports.

Speed Limits

There are different speed limits for the type of road, and for individual vehicles. Note: speed is measured in miles per hour (mph) and not kilometres per hour (Km/h).

Cars and motorbikes must not exceed 30mph in built up areas, 60mph on a single carriageway, 70mph on a dual carriageway and 70mph on a motorway. Cars towing caravans or trailers must not exceed 50mph on a single carriageway or 60mph on dual carriageways and motorways.

There are a large number of speed cameras that film the speed of vehicles across the country. To find out where the cameras are situated see the Speed Camera Map website.

• For more information on speed limits in Great Britain: Click here
• For an online speed converter (Km/h-mph): Click here

Road Signs

There are literally hundreds of road signs advising motorists of rules and regulations and how to drive in the UK.

• For a full list see the Highway Code, Traffic signs (PDF)

Toll Roads

Most of the roads in Britain are currently free to use. There are several exceptions:

1. The M6 Toll road, where motorists can avoid congestion in the West Midlands
2. Some major bridge roads, including the Severn Bridge, where motorists pay to cross
3. Congestion Charges apply in London and Durham, where motorists pay to drive into the centre of the capital, and the northern city of Durham

Accidents

Every car must be insured and proof of insurance is required when taxing a vehicle. Motorists should keep details for their insurance, plus a brightly coloured or hi-visibility jacket and red warning triangle in their vehicles in case of an accident. This is not legally required, but advised.

In the event of an accident Tel: 999 or 112.

• See the AngloINFO INFOrmation Page, Road Traffic Accidents in the UK

Insurance

Third party insurance is obligatory in the UK and covers the civil liability of the vehicle owner, as well as that of any other driver.

• See the AngloINFO INFOrmation page, Car Insurance and Insuring a Vehicle in the UK

Breakdown Recovery

There are a large number of companies that offer car recovery packages. The comparative website Breakdown Recovery allows motorists to compare prices and different levels of cover.

The main companies include:

• The AA
• Greenflag
• RAC
• Churchill
• More Than

Drink Driving

Driving whilst drunk in the UK is considered a serious criminal offence and if found to be over the limit while driving, a motorist could be sent to prison. The legal limit for alcohol consumption is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, 35mg of alcohol to 100ml of breath or 107mg of alcohol per 100ml of urine.

Police are allowed to stop motorists and ask them to take a breath test if they have reason to believe that the driver is over the limit.

The maximum penalty for driving above the limit is a six months prison sentence plus a £5,000 fine. In addition the motorist will be banned from driving for a minimum of 12 months, or a minimum of  3 years, if there has been a previous drink driving conviction in the past 10 years.

Drug driving is also considered a criminal offence, and the penalties if caught, as the same as those for drink driving

• For more information see the Drink Driving Law website
• For further information on drink driving and legal alcohol limits: Click here
• For further information on drug driving: Click here

Vehicle Tax

UK law stipulates that every car, motorbike or light goods vehicle kept on the public road must be taxed, and the tax disc must be displayed in the window of the vehicle. It is the owner's responsibility to keep the tax disc up to date. All vehicles must be taxed, apart from:

• Vehicles registered before 1973
• Vehicles that will not be used or kept on a public road for 12 months
• Vehicles belonging to a disabled driver with exemption certificate DLA404
• Vehicles belonging to a driver with a WPA442 form who receives a War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement
• Electric-powered vehicles
• Bio-fuel or hybrid vehicles which emit less than 100 CO² per Km

For information on vehicle taxes, where and how to pay, see Vehicle Tax in the United Kingdom.

Parking a Vehicle

Before parking a vehicle, a motorist must ensure that they are doing so in specially designated areas. Traffic wardens are very active, and fines expensive. There are a number of places where cars can be legally parked.

• Residential parking: This is on-street parking restricted to people who live on a particular street. Permits can be purchased through the local authority and must be clearly shown in the vehicle. Visitor permits may be issued to parking permit holders. Visitors might be able to park in these areas, without permits, at certain times of the day, for example after 18:00 on weekdays
  • For further information on parking permits see the Directgov website
• There are thousands of car parks across the UK, where motorists can park their vehicles securely. In most car parks, a ticket is given at the entrance, and payment must be paid before exiting
• Pay and Display parking areas are found in most towns. Here motorists pay for a ticket for a certain time duration and display the ticket on the dashboard

Comprehensive information on parking can be found on the Directgov website.

Parking lines (red and yellow)

Single and double yellow and red lines along the edge of the road are used to show where motorists may and may not park.

• Single yellow lines: there are restrictions on parking at certain times. Motorists can pull over onto a single yellow line to let a passenger in or out of the vehicle, but the driver must not get out
• Double yellow lines: Motorists can not park at any time
• Single red lines: Motorists must not park or stop at certain times
• Double red lines: Motorists must not park or stop at any time

Information on waiting and parking can be found on the Directgov website.