Don't touch that phone… There are plans afoot to close a legal loophole that has allowed drivers who use mobile phones to film or take photographs to escape prosecution. Whilst it is illegal for drivers to call or text on hand-held...
Motoring Law News
The Secretary for Transport, Grant Shapps, has said that the issue of increasing motorway speed limits should be examined as more electric cars take to the roads. These newer, greener vehicles could see motorway speed limits increase to 80mph . The issue...
After being caught speeding (not for the first time) TV star Steve Coogan escaped a lengthy driving ban after arguing that his new series featuring his Alan Partridge character could not be filmed on public transport. Having been caught...
Reported by the BBC this morning... Are hands-free devices going to be banned? Using a handheld phone while driving has been banned since 2003, but the Commons Transport Committee have said that using a hands-free device creates the " same risks of...
The law relating to using a mobile phone whilst driving is well trodden, but a High Court decision published this week has shed greater light on the topic. People often ask, "What exactly does using a mobile phone while driving mean?" on the basis...
"What can I do when I get behind the wheel?" There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to driving. Here are a few that might suprise you.. 1. Eating Although it is no t a specific offence to eat whilst you drive, as with many of the...
Don't do a David... David Beckham recently received a six month driving ban after he was caught using his mobile phone whilst driving in London. As he already had six points on his licence, the additional points he received for this offence led...
Would this scheme work in Essex? The Transport Committee in a report recently have stated that police forces, due to reduced numbers and stretched resources, cannot properly and effectively enforce traffic laws. Their recommendation is that these powers...
Fancy a burger? We have all, at some point, bought food from a drive-thru. We think nothing of grabbing a cup of coffee whilst in our car but it is worth noting that motorists who use the drive-thru to get their burger, fries and shake might be...
Pop a bottle of water in the side door... Now the weather seems to be hotting up, most drivers take steps to check their cars oil level, coolant and windscreen wash before setting off on a long journey. But what about the driver? Being...
Just last week, David Beckham was banned from driving for six months. The football star is no stranger to penalty points, having already amassed 6 due to speeding offences previously. On Thursday, District Judge Catherine Moore handed him another six...
How far over the limit before you get a fine? Speed cameras are usually obvious - but a lot of us still miss them at times, or they end up hidden behind a tree branch or bush. If you go over the speed limit without realising, how far over it can you really...
Roadside memorials to those who have died in traffic accidents are an increasingly popular way to pay tribute to the deceased. However, those involved in creating tributes, and the authorities responsible for local infrastructure often have differing needs,...
Last week, a HGV crashed into the Stuntney Road railway bridge in Ely, Cambridgeshire. The incident was widely discussed on social media, with one main question in mind: Why does it keep happening? The bridge is, famously, just 2.7 metres high and has...
Over the last week there have been a number of social media posts stating that overhead speed cameras on stretches of the M1 and M25 have been activated to try and catch out speeding motorists. Anyone caught on these cameras breaking the speed limit will...
Essex police carried out an anti-drink and drug campaign #DriveSafeDriveSober last summer during which 205 people were arrested and they recently reported another driver being convicted flowing form this last week. The campaign highlighted how alcohol...
The police are warning that criminal gangs are copying thousands of legitimate number plates who then drive getting speeding fines and congestion charges whilst using the cloned plates, it is then the innocent owner of the legitimate vehicle who is contacted...
What do I need to do if charged with drink or drug drive during the Christmas and New Year period? We all during the festive period enjoy spending time with family and friends leading every year to the police carrying out a targeted drink drive...
Could you be breaking the law by parking outside your own house? We all want our own little bit of personal space – somewhere that we can call ours. In the city, though, that space comes at a premium, and parking spaces in particular can become hotly...
Following a crash on the A11 in Thetford, Norfolk there were 13 drivers who were caught by the police using their mobile phones to take photos of an overturned lorry. Clearly, this is something which constitutes a danger on the road and of course will lead...
Ben Hedger an eight-year-old boy steered his car to safety whilst travelling at 60 mph when his mother suffered a seizure on the A120 Colchester in Essex just off the A12. When she initially blacked out in rush-hour traffic the vehicle hit the central...
Nicholas Charrington of Layer Marney Tower recently hosted a wonderful event promoting Fine Cell Work , a charity focused on working within the prison service to help break the cycle of reoffending. Fine Cell Work enables prisoners to build fulfilling...
Alcohol sale is a multi-million pound business. Drinking and socialising is usually associated with having a good time and we tend to drink more when we are celebrating. However, morning drinking in airports, is facing a ban. An early morning drink in UK...
The former England captain has escaped conviction of speeding after being accused of driving at 59mph in a 40mph limit. The 43 year-old former footballer avoided points on his license that could have caused a disqualification from driving and a fine of up...
It has been reported today that a lawyer on behalf of David Beckham is fighting his speeding charge in a scenario where it is accepted that he was driving the vehicle and going over the speed limit. The defence is said to be put forward is that there was a...
In a report published by the BBC three police forces in England (Thames Valley, Hampshire and West Midlands) are planning to test every motorist they stop in a bid to clamp down on drivers with defective eyesight. Officers can request an urgent revocation...
Knowing where you can and can’t park can be a little tricky. Get it right and you shouldn’t have any problems. Get it wrong and you face the dreaded ticket or, even worse, getting towed. To make things a little easier we've highlighted...
Driving without insurance in the UK can be a serious offence, and being caught speeding whilst driving without insurance can lead to detrimental consequences. It is imperative that your vehicle is insured if you use it in roads or in public places. The only...
TV presenter Ant McPartlin has been sentenced yesterday in relation to an allegation of drink driving for which he pleaded guilty to at Wimbledon Magistrates Court. District Judge Barbra Barnes carefully considered the Television star's sentence and...
Elderly man to face hefty fine after ploughing sports car through a brick wall near Police Station A 73-year-old man ploughed his Porsche through a wall and fence before nose-diving onto a foothpath. Sgt Shead of Essex police commented on social media...
It has been reported that on Tuesday 3rd April 2018 the Police were engaged in a Police chase at East Road, East Mersea, Essex at approximately 9pm. Media reports have stated that the drivers attempt to escape was short-lived as the vehicle struck a tree at...
Ireland international footballer Darron Gibson was spotted being arrested near Sunderland AFC's 'Academy of Light' Sunderland AFC has suspended Darron Gibson, after the player was charged with driving with excess alcohol on Saturday 17 March....
On Sunday, 18th March 2018 it was reported that police officers were called to a road traffic accident at lower Richmond Road in Mortlake at approximately 4pm. The TV celebrity Mr Ant McPartlin who hosts many popular television shows on ITV was said to have...
New MoT legislation On May 20th new MoT changes will come into force. These changes are strict and will affect your success of passing your next MoT. Any diesel car that has had its DPF (diesel particulate filters) removed or tampered with will instantly...
In relation to the offence for which you have been arrested, a review of your case has been conducted and it has been deemed that you shall be released from Police custody without bail. This effectively means that the police have further work to do on your...
In a report published by the BBC, hundreds of new drivers have been given automatic driving bans for using their mobile phones whilst at the wheel of their car. The punishment for this offence was doubled in March of this year from three to six points -...
The BBC have reported that a McLaren supercar with a new value of around £143,000 was reduced to a twisted, burned-out wreck after it struck a building and burst into flames. Thankfully both the driver and passenger of the 570S escaped with...
Stricter punishments have become available to magistrates in England and Wales under the sentencing guidelines for drivers caught speeding.
On the 9th February, a farmer was stopped by police for driving his tractor on the M54 motorway. The police then escorted the farmer off the motorway. A spokesman of Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) said “for any aspiring farmers out there,...
Two Years ago, the legislation regarding Tractor Weights and speeds was reviewed, extending weights to 31 t and maximum speeds to 25mph. In a recent article by Farmers Weekly they reported that at the New Holland's Basildon Headquarters, the...
Speeding fines are set to rise after a review of the sentencing guidelines for magistrates courts. For the most serious offences, a driver could be fined 150% of their weekly income. In 2015, 166,216 people were fined and 166,695...
A 22 year old female driver has been convicted of using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour. She was filmed screaming obscenities at BBC presenter Jeremy Vine as he cycled on a narrow road in Kensington, west London. She was found...
Drivers who cause death by dangerous or careless driving could get life in prison under new government proposals. In a recent article the BBC reported that Ministers want to bring the offence, which has a maximum sentence of 14 years, in...
It is that time of year when the 'Road Safety' adverts start to hit the screens. This year alone a man was caught filming himself doing 192 mph in Northamptonshire and another speeder caught in a BMW 5 Series doing 152 in Linconshire. This...
Police are conducting another week-long crackdown on drivers who use their mobile phones whilst driving. Measures include dedicated patrols and messages on road signs. This move follows the government's plan to double fines and points to those...
The government has announced that from the 1 October 2016, the CRA 2015 will apply in full to all transport services. This will include mainline passenger rail services. Therefore, all rail operators (including those with the EU Rail Licence) will be...
Actor and comedian Steve Coogan (AKA Alan Partridge) has been banned from driving for 28 days after he was clocked doing 54mph driving a Mazda MX-5 SE sports car in a 30mph zone. Mr Cogan who was not at the hearing had pleaded guilty to the...
A recent study has found that wine actually contains more alcohol than manufacturers are putting on the label. The findings are not only worrying for health reasons but could be unwittingly putting drinkers over the drink-driving limit. ...
A recent study has found that wine actually contains more alcohol than manufacturers are putting on the label. The findings are not only worrying for health reasons but could be unwittingly putting drinkers over the drink-driving limit. ...
According to Essex Police a total of 940 drivers have been breathalysed since the launch of their Christmas crackdown on drink and drug driving. Fifty two of those tested were found to be over the limit or refused or failed to provide a sample. A total of...
The government is considering proposals to increase fixed penalty fines from £100 to £150, as well as increasing the number of penalty points drivers receive from three to four. The last increase occurred in 2013, when the fixed penalty for using...
The changes, he says, are designed to reflect the impact of such crimes on victims and their families. Grayling said "I want to make our roads safer and ensure people who cause harm face tough penalties. Disqualified drivers should not be on our...
The current legislation states that a tractor is not supposed to exceed 32kph (20mph) and the legal weight limit for agricultural vehicles is 24.39t for the tractor, trailer and the trailer’s contents (known as the Gross Train Weight or GTW). ...
Penalty points were first introduced as a means for the Courts to punish drivers for various driving offences rather than giving them a fine and/or a driving disqualification. Each offence will carry a fixed number or a range of points that can be applied to...
Many of us treat ourselves to moments of reverie, thinking who would be 'for the chop' if we were in charge. One of the subjects that causes a large number of people to become particularly agitated is bad driving and in that category, the top of a...
Wilfred Museka pleaded guilty at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to causing death by dangerous driving, along with also admitting offences of fraud by false representation, driving without insurance and driving other than in accordance with a driving...
Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information rules show that one million motorists have been caught illegally using a handheld mobile phone while driving since the legislation banning the same was introduced in 2003. A survey has established that...
A Commons committee has recommended that all private investigators should be licensed, or the the very least registered, in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal. This follows evidence given by representatives of the trade at the Leveson Inquiry...
Definition A hand-held device is something that is or must be held at some point during the course of making or receiving a call or undertaking any other interactive form of communication including: Making or receiving calls. Sending or receiving picture and...
Drink Driving Factsheet Definition Attempting to drive or being in charge of a motor vehicle on the public highway or in a public place whilst under the influence of alcohol that exceeds the prescribed limit. Test Methods You will be asked to supply a breath...
Such offences are usually resolved by: attending a speed awareness course (at the discretion of the police) accepting a fixed penalty of 3 points and a £60 fine attending court for more serious offences or disputed cases Penalties 3-6 points on your...
With over 55% of company car drivers admitting in a recent RAC survey that they shout, swear and make rude gestures at other road users, it is hardly surprising that more businesses are recognising driver behaviour as a threat to their reputation. Solicitor...